Find classical music concert, opera, ballet and dance reviews | Metropolitan Opera

The Met's spectators love Mozart’s opera, but they deserve an updated staging.

The Met's revival of Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's 1984 production of La clemenza di Tito is given a new breath of life with superb conducting and an excellent ensemble of singers.

A welcome revival at the Met of Robert Carsen's witty production of Verdi's final opera. 

Mariusz Treliński's double bill pairing returns to the Metropolitan Opera with fine performances from Sonya Yoncheva and Gerald Finley in the leads. 

Yannick Nézet-Séguin’s proves the highlight of a frustrating evening at The Metropolitan Opera

Although Adriana Lecouvreur could never be referred to as one of the world’s greatest operas, Anna Netrebko, Anita Rachvelishvili and Piotr Beczała give it the star treatment at the Metropolitan Opera. 

This revival of the Met's 30-year-old production of Aida had a disappointing debut in the title role but Dolora Zajick's reign as Amneris is still a force of nature.

When it comes to the title role, Bartlett Sher's non-interventionist production misses the core of the character. 

A new production of La Traviata, colorful and conventional, brings little new ideas but is a fine vehicle for a fine performance conducted by Yannick Nezet-Seguin that features a trio of excellent singers.

All three operas in Puccini's triptych are strongly cast in this revival. 

The second performance of the Met's Pearl Fishers saw one of the leads withdraw mid-performance again. A welcome performance by young baritone Alexander Birch Elliott could not rescue the evening. 

Mefistofele proves a mixed blessing: good meets evil, devils fight with angels, lovely lyricism alternates with bombast and second-rate material.

The cast, sets, costumes and direction of Muhly's opera Marnie impress, but the music somehow falls short of expectations.

The audience for The Met's first performance of La fanciulla del West this season arrived loaded for bear. Not only were they disappointed that Jonas Kaufmann was not singing (he's slated for shows starting 17th October), but their disappointment was heightened by the fact that tenor Yusif Eyvazov was singing.

Netrebko met the audience’s high expectations, as she does every time, conquering the challenges with her remarkable artistry. 

A debuting conductor, two new singers, and a fine ensemble of singers bring unexpected joy to the Met's traditional La bohème with fresh and youthful energy.

The Met's new season opens with a new Samson et Dalila only marginally more trashy than Saint-Saëns’ peculiar brand of kitschy orientalism.

And the new, Spring casting for David McVicar's new production of Tosca has an ace in the hole – Anna Netrebko – and she certainly did not disappoint. 

Bartlett Sher's production of Gounod's Romeo et Juliette returns to the Met. 

Laurent Pelly’s staging provided some of the most memorable moments in this performance of Cendrillon. 

The role of Luisa, some of the daintier coloratura aside, fits Sonya Yoncheva like a glove. 

Amidst mixed vocal performances, competent orchestral playing and spectacular staging, Guanqun Yu took the limelight as a devout and sincere Liù.

Phelim McDermott’s new Met production is set in Brooklyn’s Coney Island in the late 1950s and is brilliantly vivid looking, but Mozart's music plays second fiddle. 

"She commands the stage, she commands the notes, she commands the tension": Christine Goerke's portrayal of Elektra haunts The Met. 

A star-turn from Ermonela Jaho as Puccini's heroine. 

A terrific cast in the Metropolitan Opera's revival of La bohème... “near the top of a lifetime of Bohèmes” for our reviewer. 

Despite a great cast, the Metropolitan Opera's revival of Semiramide bores with tacky costumes and no direction.

The Met’s production of Wagner’s Parsifal is a harrowing affair, entrancing in its refusal to charm. 

Towering above all the other meritorious singers in this performance, was the phenomenal Georgian mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili 

David McVicar's uninspiring Cavalleria rusticana remains problematic, but a strong Pagliacci leaves the New York audience gasping. 

A decision to offer traditional stagings for standard repertoire may be a dangerous path to tread for the Met's future.

A conventional and quite predictable staging of Lehár’s most famous operetta was saved by dedicated musicians.

Under elegant leadership of conductor Harry Bicket, the Met's revival of the "Marriage of Figaro" succeeds with a strong ensemble of cast.

The winter revival of the Met’s opening night Norma brought a new conductor and new stars in the main two female roles.

Ailyn Pérez draws every eye and ear to her in an easy-on-the-eye production that doesn't solve some of the work's inherent contradictions.

 “The Minghella Butterfly” has physically lost none of its luster, but the singing did not live up to the staging.

Adès opera resists explanation, and the ambiguity of the story drives much of its compelling nature. 

The Met succeeded in casting two strong singers for the difficult lead roles of Puccini's final opera. 

The musical experience was dominated by the imagery making spectators feel, at least at times, overwhelmed.

A revival of Franco Zeffirelli’s 1981 production was graced by an impressive case, including the Met debut of soprano Angel Blue. 

Bartlett Sher's production of The Tales of Hoffmann, revived at The Met, takes a Kafka-esque, surreal view of the opera.

Sondra Radvanovsky scores a rousing success in the taxing title role of Bellini's masterpiece in New York.

Yannick Nézet-Séguin led an intriguing performance of Wagner's Flying Dutchman at the Met with a superb orchestra and an excellent ensemble of singers. 

There are several things wrong with the new Robert Carsen directed Der Rosenkavalier that just opened at the Met, but the singing is not among them.

The evening was dominated by Anna Netrebko, who reprised the role of Tatiana with fresh insights and vocal charisma.  Robin Ticciati led the Met Orchestra to probe a new depth of the score.

The Metropolitan Opera’s now 29-year old production of Aida is still standing and still looking good.

The Met revived Beethoven's only opera Fidelio with a strong cast and excellent chorus and orchestra, with a production that celebrates liberty and love.

Mozart's Idomeneo proved to be a challenge for some of the soloists initially but the superb orchestra under James Levine brought about a successful opening evening at the Met.

About halfway through the second act of Verdi's La traviata at the opera's second Met performance of the season, soprano Sonya Yoncheva went from being a really good Violetta to being a great Violetta.

From the moment he stepped on stage as our ill-fated title character, Italian tenor Vittorio Grigolo seemed as if he may burst at the seams.