The Metropolitan Operated , with New York, is a room of opera now located in the Lincoln Center, familiarly called by Apocope, the “Met”.

The first building, designed by J. Cleaveland Cady and inaugurated the October 23rd 1883, was along Broadway, between the 39e and the 45e street. It was damaged by a fire in 1892, then after repair, remained used until in 1966, year when the company of opera invests the new buildings of Lincoln Center. The old building, not having been able to obtain the statute of historic building, was shaven in 1967.

In Lincoln Center, Metropolitan Opera House is the work of the architect Wallace K. Harrison. The “new Met” opened its doors the September 16th 1966 with the first world one of Antoine and Cléopâtre of Samuel Barber. The building is covered with Travertin and its frontage is decorated of five arches. In the hall one finds two frescos carried out by Marc Chagall. The opera can accommodate close to: 4000 spectators, on various levels.

Proscenium gilded measurement 16 meters of width and as much in height. The principal curtain, woven out of damask silk, is the largest curtain of the world. Metropolitan Opera conceals many mechanical systems: 7 elevators, 3 sliding scenes, the higher scene having a rotary table 20 meters in diameter. All this equipment makes it possible to alternate the programming of various works each evening. The “met” is also known on line for its radio programs. The first took place the December 25th 1931, with the representation of Hansel and Gretel of Engelbert Humperdinck. For a long time, the firm Texaco financed the retransmissions of the representations of Saturday afternoon. This association ceased in 2004 but the opera could find other partnerships for the continuation.

Rich person of this funds and benefitting from the vulgarizing of the novel methods of diffusion, the “Met” launches out as from December 2006 in a policy of diffusion per satellite as cinemas and Internet.

Chiefs

• Valery Gergiev (1997–) (Chief principal guest)
• James Levine (1973–) (principal Chief; Musical director since 1975)
• Rafael Kubelík (1973) (principal Chief)
• Erich Leinsdorf (1956– 1962) (To advise musical)
• Dimitri Mitropoulos (1954– 1960) (principal Chief)
• Fritz Reiner (1949– 1953) (principal Chief)
• Fritz Busch (1945– 1949)
• George Szell (1942– 1946)
• Erich Leinsdorf (1939– 1942) (In charge of the Germanic repertory)
• Artur Bodanzky (1915– 1939) (In charge of the Germanic repertory)
• Arturo Toscanini (1908– 1915) (principal Chief)
• Gustav Mahler (1908– 1910) (principal Chief)
• Walter Damrosch (1884– 1891)
• Anton Seidl (1884– 1897)

External bonds

• Site of Metropolitan Operated