Met Opera to start Sunday performances

The Metropolitan Opera (pictured below) will start regular Sunday afternoon performances for the first time in its century-plus history during the 2019-2020 season. As part of new union agreements announced on Friday, the company also will go dark each February beginning in 2020-2021. The Met will open the second half of each season in March with a new production, and the season will extend by a month into mid-June. The Met has suffered a slump in ticket sales in recent years, hurt by an ageing audience and a shift away from subscriptions by attendees for most arts performances. The Met sold 75 per cent of capacity last season and 67 per cent of available box office, about the same as in 2016-2017. “We know that Saturday matinees perform 15-20 per cent better at the box office than week nights and we project Sundays will do the same,” Met general manager Peter Gelb said, anticipating revenue to increase by millions of dollars. As part of three-year contracts, the Met has the right to present up to 17 Sunday matinees in 20192020 and 27 the following season. The shift to performances later in the spring is also projected to increase revenue. In February, ticket sales fall because of winter weather and a drop in tourism. Because of the shift, the American Ballet Theatre spring/summer season at the Met will be cut from eight weeks to five. Gelb said the Met may present outside performances during the first week of the February break and that the Met Orchestra would probably give a concert at Carnegie Hall.