Met Opera Announces Smallest Season in 60 Years
The Metropolitan Opera scheduled just 17 productions for the 2026-27 season, the lowest number in at least six decades. The reduction is attributed to ongoing challenges in ticket sales and changing audience habits, signaling a period of transition for the world's leading opera house. The scaling back contrasts sharply with Broadway's star-driven revivals and new musicals leading the post-pandemic recovery.
- The decision to reduce the season follows years of financial strain, with the Met having withdrawn $40 million from its endowment in the 2023-24 season, lowering the fund to about $255 million. The company lost $150 million in potential revenue during its 18-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. - In January 2026, the Met announced cost-saving measures expected to reduce expenses by $15 million in the current fiscal year and $25 million in the next. These measures included laying off 22 administrative employees and implementing temporary salary cuts of 4% to 15% for 35 executives earning over $150,000. - While overall ticket sales capacity has improved to 72% post-pandemic, it remains below the 75% seen in the 2018-19 season. Revenue from ticket sales is also lower due to increased discounts aimed at attracting a younger audience, which has seen the average age of single-ticket buyers drop from 50 to 44. - The Met's strategy of programming more contemporary operas has had mixed results at the box office. For example, in the first half of the 2024-25 season, Jeanine Tesori's "Grounded" sold 50% of its tickets and Osvaldo Golijov's "Ainadamar" sold 61%, while classic revivals like Mozart's "The Magic Flute" and a new production of Verdi's "Aida" sold 82%. - To bolster finances, General Manager Peter Gelb, who plans to retire in 2030, has been exploring new revenue streams. This includes a potential deal with Saudi Arabia for an annual winter residency and considering the sale of the opera house's naming rights. - The 2026-27 season will heavily feature popular revivals, with just five new productions. Three operas—Puccini's "Tosca" and "La Bohème," and Verdi's "Aida"—will account for 71 of the 187 total performances. - This scaling back is a notable trend; the 2025-26 and 2024-25 seasons were already reduced to 18 productions each, a significant drop from the 28 productions staged in the 2007-08 season. - Future plans beyond the 2026-27 season include new productions of Carlos Simon's "In the Rush," and a collaboration with Ivo Van Hove for Weill's "Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny" and with Claus Guth for Händel's "Semele," both scheduled for the 2027-28 season.
