The Metropolitan Opera officially announced its 2026–27 season today, revealing a scaled-back schedule of 17 productions – the fewest in over 60 years due to ongoing financial constraints. There are also three special events. General Manager Peter Gelb announced he will retire in 2030. He noted that the reduced season is a response to budget tightening.
In a desperate attempt to attract audiences, Aida will be performed 20 times, while La Bohème is scheduled for 24 shows. Tosca is to receive 26 performances. Lincoln in the Bardo, an expensive World premiere, is on the bill only 9 times. Kevin Puts Silent Night is also set for 9 performances. It’s not hard to understand why the Met is in financial difficulty and why Gelb is retiring.
As I’ve pointed out here, the Met’s in a lot of trouble, and it’s diffiuclt to see a way out. Gelb should go sooner than 2030, as the company needs new leadership now!
2026-27 Met Opera Season
New Productions & Premieres
Verdi – Macbeth
Opening night production (Sept 22 – Oct 20, 2026)
New staging by Louisa Proske; Lise Davidsen stars as Lady Macbeth; conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
Missy Mazzoli – Lincoln in the Bardo
World premiere (Oct 19 – Nov 14 2026)
Cast includes Christine Goerke, Anthony Roth Costanzo, and Peter Mattei.
Puccini – La Fanciulla del West
New production at the Met (Dec 31 2026 – Jan 30 2027)
Sondra Radvanovsky as Minnie; SeokJong Baek as Dick Johnson.
Kevin Puts – Silent Night
Company premiere (March 8 – April 3, 2027)
Directed by James Robinson; features Elza van den Heever and Rolando Villazón.
Revivals
Verdi – Aida
Puccini – La Bohème
Mozart – Così fan tutte
Janáček – Jenůfa
Mozart – The Magic Flute
Massenet – Manon
Donizetti – Maria Stuarda
Cherubini- Medea
Verdi – Otello
Wagner – Parsifal
Strauss- Der Rosenkavalier
Saint-Saëns – Samson et Dalila
Puccini – Tosca
Special Events
60th Anniversary Gala at Lincoln Center – May 25, 2027
Mahler’s Symphony No. 8
Asmik Grigorian in Concert
2026–27 Live in HD Schedule
| Date | Production | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Oct. 3, 2026 | Così fan tutte | Mozart’s comedy opens the HD season. |
| Oct. 17, 2026 | Macbeth | New production starring Lise Davidsen. |
| Dec. 5, 2026 | Samson et Dalila | Saint-Saëns’s biblical epic. |
| Jan. 23, 2027 | La Fanciulla del West | New-to-the-Met production by Richard Jones. |
| Mar. 20, 2027 | Silent Night | Met premiere of Kevin Puts’s Pulitzer-winning opera. |
| Apr. 3, 2027 | Manon | Massenet’s tragedy starring Nadine Sierra. |
