Last updated in October 2023 by Ana Florentina
What To See at the Metropolitan Opera New York
2023
On Saturday, after dinner at Quality Italian, we made our way to the Metropolitan Opera to see Luigi Cherubini’s 1979 Opera, MEDEA. This is a unique co-production of the Metropolitan Opera, Greek National Opera, Canadian Opera Company, and Lyric Opera of Chicago that kicked off the 2023 season in October. The Met has never presented Cherubini’s most celebrated work until this season, so we decided to go see it.
The performance of Medea is anchored by the soprano Sondra Radvanovsky, a role that Maria Callas championed on stage in the 1950s. If you are planning to visit New York City, you can get tickets to see this wonderful opera.
The Met Opera’s 2023 season is full of outstanding works, including two that I am looking forward to seeing: La Traviata and L’Elisir d’Amore.
See the full list at the bottom of this post!
METROPOLITAN OPERA HISTORY
The Metropolitan Opera was founded in 1883, with its first opera house built on Broadway and 39th Street. In the early years, all performances were in Italian, then they were in German until it was decided that most works would be performed in their original language.
Construction of the “new” Metropolitan Opera House began in 1959 and continued over the next ten years. It is now located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, a 16-acre complex that is home to the Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic, New York City Ballet, New York City Opera, the Chamber Music Society, the Film Society, the Juilliard School, the Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Library for the Performing Arts and the School of American Ballet.
Lincoln Center – Interesting Facts
- The board of architects was headed by Wallace K. Harrison who helped design the United Nations and Rockefeller Center.
- Nearly 188 buildings were razed to make way for this grand cultural center.
- The rectangular buildings of glass and Italian travertine marble can accommodate 13,666 spectators at a time.
Metropolitan Opera – Interesting Facts
- The Met Opera House contains seven rehearsal halls and storage space for six opera sets.
- The large murals in the lobby of the opera house are by Marc Chagall.
- The crystal chandeliers that accentuate the red-carpeted staircase were a gift from Austria.
MEDEA OPERA SYPNOSYS & REVIEW
Glauce, princess of Corinth, is preparing for her wedding to the hero Giasone. For years, Giasone has been in a relationship with the sorceress Medea, the mother of his children. Glauce worries that Medea, who is still in love with Giasone, may do something to stop the wedding. Wedding festivities are interrupted when Medea appears and demands that Giasone return to her. Giasone rejects Medea’s pleas, but Medea hurt and enraged, curses Giasone, calling on the gods of Olympus to help her take revenge. After Medea is requested to leave the city, Medea pleads to be allowed just one more day with her children.
To learn how the story ends, you need to watch this performance! This play can be summarized with this statement: Medea is the most notorious sorceress of all.
MET TITLES
If you decide to go to the Metropolitan Opera House, be sure to turn on the “Met Titles” as soon as you sit down. You will see that they appear on individual screens mounted on the back of each row of seats.
Titles are provided for all Met performances in English, Spanish, and German. Titles are also provided in Italian for Italian-language operas. This is a unique system of real-time translation that I personally find magnificent – it helps you better understand the performances.
Overall, going to the opera is a marvelous experience that is a fun excuse to dress up for!
Enjoy and make a great evening out of it!
WHAT IS A GOOD FIRST OPERA TO SEE?
For first-timers, I suggest: La Traviata, La Bohème, Tosca, and Don Giovanni! All of these are popular operas that will have you coming back for more.
MET OPERA RUSH TICKETS
Rush tickets go on sale for Monday through Friday evening performances at Noon, for matinees four hours before curtain, and for Saturday evenings at 2:00 pm. These tickets are only available online and are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
MET OPERA TOURS
Tours of the Metropolitan Opera are available, and reservations can be made online, by speaking to the call center or visiting the box office.
Members of the Patron Program who support the Met at the Contributing Patron level or above are invited to take a VIP tour of the opera house on selected dates throughout the opera season.
MET OPERA ON DEMAND
If you prefer to watch The Metropolitan Opera’s performances from the comfort of your home, you can do so with their online streaming service.
The Met Opera has an unlimited subscription plan for $14.99 per month or $149.99 per year, and there are more than 800 full-length performances that you will be able to choose from. Learn more about this streaming service here.
There are free apps available for Amazon Fire TV and Tablet, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV, Android, Roku, and Samsung Smart TV.
METROPOLITAN OPERA HD
Another option is to visit your local theatre and watch the Met’s performances there! The Met’s 2023 season of live movie theater transmissions features ten productions that can be seen in cinemas worldwide. Search for cinemas by city in this link here.
WHAT TO SEE AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA 2023
Here are my suggestions on what to see at the Met Opera during 2023!
- Don Giovanni (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
- Idomeneo (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
- Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk (Dmitri Shostakovich)
- Rigoletto (Giuseppe Verdi)
- Tosca (Giacomo Puccini)
- La Traviata (Giuseppe Verdi)
- La Bohème (Giacomo Puccini)
- The Magic Flute – Holiday Presentation (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)
- Peter Grimes (Benjamin Britten)
- Der Rosenkavalier (Richard Strauss)
- Aida (Giuseppe Verdi)
- Fedora (Umberto Giordano)
- L’Elisir d’Amore (Gaetano Donizetti)
A final note!
I went to see Medea with my husband, and on a different night, I invited my parents to see La Traviata with me.
Although I personally adored how lively and colorful La Traviata was, both operas were outstanding.
Which opera would you choose to see at The Metropolitan Opera in New York City?
MORE THINGS TO DO IN NEW YORK
- SUMMIT One Vanderbilt Experience Ticket
- New York Helicopter Tour: Manhattan Highlights
- 9/11 Memorial Museum Ticket
- Central Park Pedicab Guided Tour
MORE RESOURCES FOR YOUR VISIT TO NEW YORK
BEST HOTELS IN NEW YORK
There are many excellent hotels in New York City, see these below and their availability:
- The Peninsula New York
- The St. Regis New York
- Lotte New York Palace
- Conrad New York Downtown
- Crosby Street Hotel
EXPLORE THE BEST OF NEW YORK
- See the Sunrise at the Empire State Building
- The Best Statue of Liberty Dinner Cruise
- Essential Guide to The MET Museum
- Famous Paintings at the MoMA New York
- Top Art Pieces at The MET Museum
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