The key facts

  • The Met commissioned two world premieres: 'The Mothers of Kherson' (Warsaw) and Missy Mazzoli's 'Lincoln in the Bardo' (New York, Monday)
  • Gelb: caution would mean 'certain failure'; the opera house is battling losses and declining attendance
  • The partnership with the Saudi Music Commission fell apart due to Saudi cutbacks amid the US–Iran war; 'Opera for All' (70,000 tickets) and a $1.5 billion campaign have been launched

Two Premieres on Two Continents in Four Days

The Metropolitan Opera, despite its widely reported financial troubles, has carried out two costly creative projects at once: within four days the opera house held the world premieres of two operas it had commissioned on two continents. First, in Warsaw, came 'The Mothers of Kherson' — the story of Ukrainian mothers who tried to save their abducted children after Russia's invasion; the Met commissioned this opera in 2023. Then, on Monday in New York, the premiere of 'Lincoln in the Bardo' will take place — an adaptation of George Saunders' Booker Prize-winning novel about Abraham Lincoln grappling with the loss of his 11-year-old son amid harsh criticism at the start of the Civil War. The opera was written by rising American composer Missy Mazzoli.

A Bet on Boldness

The 143-year-old Met, which in recent years has faced a shrinking audience, sees in 'Bardo' a politically relevant work for a polarized America, and in 'Kherson' a reflection of a war that continues to shape world politics. The opera house's general manager Peter Gelb told AFP that 'the only possible way out of financial difficulties is to be bold,' demonstrating the Met's indispensability as a cultural institution. In his words, a cautious strategy would mean 'certain failure,' and preserving the company is his top priority.

Financial Context

The opera house is trying to overcome annual losses and credit rating downgrades. In September 2025, a way out seemed to have been found: the Met announced a partnership with the Saudi Music Commission, but the deal fell apart due to Saudi cutbacks tied to the US–Iran war. The theater also struggles to fill its 3,800-seat hall with revivals of productions without major stars. In September the season opened with a new production of Verdi's 'Macbeth,' with other classic works ahead.

The 'Bardo' Production

The lavish production of 'Bardo' features fantastical gargoyle-like puppets inhabiting the bardo — the afterlife space where tormented souls cannot move beyond their past lives. In the second act, Lincoln, after long hesitation, comes to terms with the inevitable, sitting beside his son Willie, who appears as a ghost invisible to his father. Mazzoli sees the opera as posing a question: can the inhabitants of the bardo set aside regrets and petty concerns 'for the sake of one innocent child's soul' — in her words, it is 'a microcosm of America at its best moments.' Paul Cremo, who oversees the theater's commissioning program and has worked on 'Bardo' since the commission eight years ago, noted that creating an otherworldly universe — with tendrils engulfing the singers and exploding ghosts — was a challenge for the technical staff. 'It's hard when two children are born just days apart,' he told AFP from Warsaw.

Tickets, the Mayor, and Fundraising

The Met has partnered with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani: under the 'Opera for All' program, presented last month, 70,000 tickets will be given away this season. The city does not pay the opera house, but Gelb notes that the project brings the Met closer to City Hall; Mamdani's video message garnered more than 10 million views on social media. At the same time, the 'Make the Met Forever' campaign to raise $1.5 billion has been launched. 'I felt they needed to be launched hand in hand,' Gelb said. 'If people believe the Met is indispensable, it may prompt them to help us.' Gelb also hopes the buzz around 'Bardo' will boost sales: Saunders appeared on the show 'Late Night with Seth Meyers,' and celebrities are expected at Monday's premiere, including singer Dua Lipa, who has more than 89 million Instagram followers.