Metropolitan Opera in New York: 2025/2026 Season

What You Need to Know About the Metropolitan Opera in New York

• The Metropolitan Opera refers to both the prestigious New York opera house and its venue. The Metropolitan Opera occupies one of the buildings at Lincoln Center, on the border between Midtown and the Upper West Side.
• The Metropolitan Opera was founded in 1883 by an alliance of several wealthy businessmen who dreamed of having their own opera house. The historic venue was then located at the corner of Broadway and 39th Street, between Bryant Park and the Empire State Building. However, the location soon proved too cramped, and the company eventually decided to find a new home. This was accomplished in 1966 with the construction of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
• New York’s opera is undoubtedly the most prestigious opera in the United States and one of the finest opera houses in the world. It has hosted the world premiere of 32 works, including Puccini’s The Girl of the Golden West. In addition, there have been American premieres of many classical operas, from Richard Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde to Boris Godunov’s Turandot and Arabella.
• The Metropolitan Opera offers just over 200 performances each season, totaling more than 800,000 spectators. The opera season begins in late September and ends in late May or early June, depending on the year.
• One last thing to know: be careful not to confuse the Metropolitan Opera with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The two institutions are independent and have nothing to do with each other. The confusion is all the more likely because both the Metropolitan Opera and the Metropolitan Museum of Art are commonly referred to by the nickname “the Met”. You should therefore be precise if you’re talking about just the Met to a New Yorker.

Book Your Tickets for the Metropolitan Opera in New York

• Good news: CNEWYORK gives you access to all Metropolitan Opera tickets for all performances of the 2025/2026 season and for all categories.
• To book your tickets, send us a message via our contact form indicating your travel dates and the show(s) you want to see. We will respond quickly by providing you with a payment link to confirm your tickets. You will then receive a confirmation once payment is made.
• The CNEWYORK advantage: all tickets for the Metropolitan Opera in New York booked on our CNEWYORK site are cancellable free of charge up to 4 days before the performance, for any reason. A unique free guarantee!

2025/2026 Season Program at the Metropolitan Opera in New York

The 2025/2026 season at the Metropolitan Opera will launch on September 21, 2025 with The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. The final two performances of the season will take place on June 6, 2026, with La Traviata at 1 p.m. and Turandot at 8 p.m. A final busy day! Here is the complete program for the 2025/2026 season:

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay

• On the eve of World War II, two young Jewish cousins from New York create a new comic book superhero. This contemporary opera, inspired by Michael Chabon’s novel, is a new creation by the Metropolitan Opera in New York. This work will open the 2025/2026 season!
• Dates: September 21 to October 11, 2025.

Turandot

• Turandot is a monumental opera written by Giacomo Puccini in 1926. Turandot is a Chinese princess of deadly beauty… She indeed attracts many suitors to Beijing who, to marry her, must solve 3 riddles posed by the princess. However, if they fail, the competitors are beheaded!
• Dates: September 23, 2025 to June 6, 2026.

Don Giovanni

• Another major opera, this time signed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart himself! The story takes place in Seville in the 16th century. You will follow the journey of Don Giovanni, an inveterate seducer who strings together conquests. But this could well lead to his downfall…
• Dates: September 24 to November 22, 2025.

La Sonnambula

• This opera is signed by Vincenzo Bellini. The story is literally a sleepwalking tale! The opera tells the story of Amina, a young village girl who is accused of infidelity while walking in her sleep. The piece is mainly known for being a magnificent example of Italian bel canto.
• Dates: October 6 to November 1, 2025.

La Fille du Régiment

• This opera was created in 1840 by Gaetano Donizetti for the Opéra-Comique in Paris. La Fille du Régiment tells the story of Marie, an orphan taken in by a regiment of French soldiers. Marie is now the regiment’s mascot!
• Dates: October 17 to November 12, 2025.

La Bohème

• La Bohème is one of Giacomo Puccini’s masterpieces. Immerse yourself in 19th-century Paris and discover the lives and loves of impoverished young artists. A life of bohemia!
• Dates: October 21, 2025 to May 2, 2026.

Carmen

• Do we need to introduce Carmen, one of the most famous operas in the world? This opera written by French composer Georges Bizet tells the story of a seductive bohemian woman who lives in Seville in the early 19th century. The version offered this year by the Metropolitan Opera in New York breaks with tradition by transposing the story to today…
• Dates: October 28, 2025 to January 23, 2026.

Arabella

• This celebrated opera was composed by Richard Strauss. It tells the story of Arabella, a young woman of good family in early 20th-century Vienna. Her father, an inveterate gambler, has ruined the family. The only way out is to marry Arabella to a wealthy businessman.
• Dates: November 10-29, 2025.

Andrea Chénier

• As the French Revolution rages, poet Andrea Chénier is torn between his loves and his political commitments. This opera set to music by Umberto Giordano was first presented in 1896 at La Scala in Milan and was produced the same year in New York.
• Dates: November 24 to December 4, 2025.

Porgy and Bess

• This opera composed by American George Gershwin takes you into the depths of the African-American community in the city of Charleston. You will meet two characters at odds with society, Porgy and Bess. The music is surprising, blending classical opera airs with blues and jazz.
• Dates: December 2, 2025 to January 24, 2026.

The Magic Flute

• This Mozart opera is one of the most well-known operas in the world. You will follow the wild adventures of Prince Tamino who sets out to rescue Princess Pamina, guided only by a magic flute. A great classic revisited and modernized by the Metropolitan Opera in New York!
• Dates: December 11, 2025 to January 3, 2026.

I Puritani

• The Puritans is an opera composed by Italian Vincenzo Bellini in 1835. The action takes place in England during the 17th century, in the time of Oliver Cromwell. Will political rivalries overcome the passion between Elvira and Arturo, two young people madly in love with each other?
• Dates: December 31, 2025 to January 18, 2026.

Madame Butterfly

• Madame Butterfly is Puccini’s other masterpiece. It tells the tragedy experienced by Cio-Cio San, a young 15-year-old geisha who believes she has found true love with an American officer. But when the military man returns to the United States, he leaves the young woman alone with their child.
• Dates: January 9 to March 28, 2026.

Tristan und Isolde

• Tristan and Isolde is one of Richard Wagner’s world-renowned operas. The German composer takes the famous medieval myth and sets it to music. The opera tells the story of a forbidden love between Tristan, a loyal knight, and Isolde, a princess promised to another man.
• Dates: March 9 to April 2, 2026.

La Traviata

• La Traviata is one of opera’s great classics. This piece was written in 1856 by Italian Giuseppe Verdi, inspired by The Lady of the Camellias by Alexandre Dumas fils. Violetta Valéry, a Parisian courtesan suffering from tuberculosis, falls in love with young bourgeois Alfredo Germont. A tormented love story!
• Dates: March 20 to June 6, 2026.

Innocence

• This contemporary work was created by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho. The story testifies to a mother’s pain when confronted with violence following the loss of her child. The music blends Scandinavian folk airs with modern vocal techniques.
• Dates: April 6-29, 2026.

Eugene Onegin

• If the name of this opera means nothing to you, know that it is a work composed by the great Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky based on a novel by Alexander Pushkin. That’s two great names for one opera! Eugene Onegin is an arrogant Russian aristocrat who regrets not having married young Tatiana.
• Dates: April 20 to May 16, 2026.

El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego

• This opera stands out by telling the story of the return to earth of the Mexican artist couple Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. The music draws inspiration from Mexican airs, creating an unprecedented contemporary work. The sets obviously immerse you in the dreamlike and colorful universe of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.
• Dates: May 14 to June 5, 2026.

Practical Information

• Address: Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York.
• Subway: 66 St-Lincoln Center (Lines 1 and 2).
• Hours: the opera house doors open 45 minutes before the start of the performance. It is recommended to arrive as soon as the doors open to pass through security checks smoothly and discover the inside of the hall.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I dress to attend an opera at the Metropolitan Opera in New York?

The Metropolitan Opera in New York does not impose any dress code, as long as you are dressed decently. You can therefore come in your usual attire. However, some spectators like to dress elegantly to attend performances. Ladies, you can certainly opt for an evening gown. Gentlemen, don’t hesitate to wear a jacket and tie.

Can children attend a performance at the Metropolitan Opera in New York?

Yes, you can attend an opera with your children. No minimum age is required by the Metropolitan Opera in New York. However, you should know that if your children cry, shout, or disturb the performance in any way, you will be politely but firmly asked to leave the hall. You will then have to watch the rest of the performance from the List Hall, separately.