4 Operas in 48 Hours: A Critic’s Marathon at the Met
The New York Times
Amid the virus surge, the company is performing “Rigoletto,” “Le Nozze di Figaro,” “Tosca” and “La Bohème” in close succession.
Even for a critic who attends performances as a way of life, there were more than a few similarities to “Groundhog Day” in seeing four shows over 48 hours at the Metropolitan Opera this weekend.
I was getting off the subway at Columbus Circle — again. Walking up the broad steps to Lincoln Center — again. Shuffling into the will call line; showing proof of vaccination; raising my arms for a metal detector wand; holding out tickets to be scanned; entering the gilded, red velvet auditorium; drifting down the aisle to the same seat — again, and again, and again.
Only the music changed, an assemblage of greatest hits by Mozart, Verdi and Puccini. These performances felt especially precious amid a coronavirus surge that has shuttered Broadway productions, ballets, concerts and festivals. Yet the mighty Met — through strict health protocols, a deep bench of replacement artists and sheer luck — has managed not to cancel once.
