Patrons peered down from scalloped balconies inside the Metropolitan Opera House on Sunday night, hoping for a glimpse of the action — the cocktail hour before the opening curtain, when celebrities sip champagne, eat caviar-topped canapés and try not to step on one another’s trains.
Senator Chuck Schumer, Christine Baranski, Laverne Cox, John Turturro, B.J. Novak and more dressed in their black tie best, glimmered under the chandeliers of Lincoln Center as the Metropolitan Opera opened its new season.
“It’s like a Bugs Bunny cartoon of something fancy to do in New York,” said B.J. Novak, the actor and comedian.
Several weeks earlier, the Metropolitan Opera announced it had reached a lucrative agreement with Saudi Arabia to bring the opera to the kingdom for three weeks each winter. The deal is expected to bring the Met more than $100 million, and alleviate some of the organization’s budget woes. Although the news drew some criticism, spirits seemed high on opening night.
The season kicked off with “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay,” composed by Mason Bates and adapted from the novel by Michael Chabon, which centers on the experiences of two Jewish cousins writing comics in the shadow of World War II. (The night raised $4.3 million dollars.)
Speaking to the packed house before the performance began, Peter Gelb, the company’s general manager, emphasized the organization’s commitment to its artists.
“At the Met, we’re proudly standing for freedom of artistic expression,” he said. Mr. Gelb introduced Mr. Schumer, who also spoke in defense of freedom of speech and artistic expression, and was met with a mix of boos and applause.
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