The New York Metropolitan Opera House's rich musical history began when it opened its doors to the public on Oct. 22, 1883. At the time, the opera house welcomed New Yorkers into its hall located on 1411 Broadway, between 39th St. and 40th St. Despite a fire ravaging the innards of the 1411 Broadway location in 1892, it wouldn't be until 1966 that the Metropolitan Opera House moved to Lincoln Center. The original building that the opera house called home for 83 years was demolished in 1967. The Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center opened on Sept. 16, 1966, and has since hosted world-renowned musicians and performers. People from all walks of life have visited the Metropolitan Opera, from the everyday person to political figures and celebrities.
The first Metropolitan Opera House in New York, late 1800s. The theatre, on Broadway, was demolished in 1967.
Ticket to the Metropolitan Opera House. Season 1906-1907.
Anna Pavlova, Russian ballerina, in ‘The Swan’, early 20th century. Pavlova was the most famous classical ballerina of her era. She trained at the school of the Imperial Ballet, made her debut as soloist in 1899, and became prima ballerina of the company in 1906. In 1910, Pavlova made her American debut with the Russian dancer Mikhail Mordkin at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. She founded her own company in 1911, and until 1931, when she died of pneumonia while on tour. Her most famous classical roles were in ‘Giselle’, ‘Swan Lake’, ‘Les Sylphides’, ‘Don Quixote’, ‘Coppélia’, and in the solo dance ‘The Dying Swan’, created for her in 1905 by the Russian choreographer Michel Fokine.
Ticket number 79, Parterre Box 33, entrance on 39th Street in 1911. Ticket stub – printed paper by Metropolitan Opera Company.
This is an illustration of a program for the “benefit” relief for Titanic victims, which was held on April 29, 1912.
J. E. Boldt, Inez Milholland Boissevain and May Bill Morgan represent the states of Massachusetts, New York and Michigan at the Great Suffrage Spectacle at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York in 1913.
The line of music lovers waiting to get tickets at the Metropolitan Opera House at the first performance of the season on Nov. 22, 1925.
The street outside the Metropolitan Opera House in October 1930.
A view on the stage during the second act of Verdi’s Simon Boccanera, with Lawrence Tibbett and Maira Mueller in the landing roles on Nov. 20, 1932.
An audience inside the old Metropolitan Opera House on Dec. 2, 1938.
A man walks past the box office of the Metropolitan Opera in 1944.
Interior view of the theatre where hundreds of spectators came to admire Janet Collins, the first African-American prima ballerina to perform at the Metropolitan Opera on Nov. 13, 1951.
Opera star Maria Meneghini Callas takes one of several curtain calls at the close of her first performance of the season at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City on Feb. 6, 1958. It was her fourth met appearance of her career, but her first in “La Traviata.”
Stars of the Bolshoi Ballet from Moscow, Russia, step to the front of the stage to receive a standing ovation at the American premiere of Prokofiev’s “Romeo And Juliet” at the Metropolitan Opera House on April 16, 1959. Yuri Zhdanov, center, in the role of Romeo, takes the bow with Galina Ulanova, right, still recognized as the world’s foremost prima ballerina.
A queue outside the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City in 1961.
Eileen Farrell is fitted in a French Revolution costume for her role in “Andre Chenier” at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York Oct. 1, 1962.
Jack Toale, a wire lather, calls to his foreman to verify the size of a section of steel that is to be bent at the Metropolitan Opera House on May 18, 1964 in New York’s Lincoln Center.
Dancers of the Leningrad Kirov ballet perform the first act of Tchaikovsk’s “The Sleeping Beauty,” as they open a three-week season at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, Sept. 8, 1964.
Construction photographed on the Metropolitan Opera House, part of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, in Lincoln Square, in Manhattan on July 29, 1965. Also known as The Met, the opera house – designed by Wallace K Harrison – opened in Sept. 1966.
Metropolitan Opera Company performers and backstage workers jam the old Met stage in New York, April 17, 1966, as the famous golden curtain descends on the company’s farewell gala performance in the old building.
One of many hanging signs in the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, Jan. 24, 1966.
New Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, New York on Sept. 8, 1966.
The Metropolitan Opera House, designed by Wallace Harrison, in the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in Manhattan on Sept. 1966.
Conductor Leonard Bernstein, standing lower center, shaking hands with unidentified member of orchestra as a full house audience settle into their seats for the opening performance of the season at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, Sept. 19, 1972. Bernstein conducted the production of Bizet’s “Carmen.”
Opera star Joan Sutherland, center, takes bows at the conclusion of “Don Givanni” at the Metropolitan Opera House, March 10, 1978, New York. The rest of the group is unidentified.
An overhead view of the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in 1981.
First Lady Nancy Reagan, center, attends the premiere performance of the Dance Theatre of Harlem at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, June 17, 1985.
Barbara Bush, center visits backstage with the stars of Puccini’s “La Boheme” at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center on Sept. 24, 1990. The stars, Mirella Freni, left, and Placido Domingo, second from right, chat with Bush, Prince Rainier of Monaco, right and his son Prince Albert of Monaco.
Famed pianist Van Cliburn performs Tchaikovsky’s Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 23, with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House on Aug. 2, 1994.
Opera fans fill the plaza outside New York’s Metropolitan Opera House as Placido Domingo performs “Otello” at the opening night gala on Sept. 22, 2001.
Vladimir Neporozhny and Katerina Shipulina perform during an open rehearsal of the Bolshoi Ballet’s production of “Spartacus” at the Metropolitan Opera House July 22, 2005 in New York City.
People attend the Metropolitan Opera’s opening night at Lincoln Center Sept. 24, 2007 in New York City.
People watch the opening night performance of Puccini’s classic opera Tosca by the Metropolitan Opera Sept. 21, 2009 on a big television screen outside the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center in New York, N.Y.
Ballet goers take their seats at the American Ballet Theatre Opening Night Spring Gala on May 18, 2009 at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, N.Y.
Despite rain, people gather to watch Wagner’s Das Rheingold on a large projection video screen during opening night at The Metropolitan Opera House Sept. 27, 2010 at Lincoln Center in New York.
Tony Bennett performs during Tony Bennett’s 85th Birthday Gala Benefit for Exploring the Arts at the Metropolitan Opera House on September 18, 2011 in New York City.
David Koch Theater, left, and Avery Fisher Hall, right, flank the Metropolitan Opera House and Josie Robertson Plaza Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2013, at Lincoln Center in New York, N.Y.
A poster for the opera “Roberto Devereux” is seen April 14, 2016 outside the Metropolitan Opera in New York, N.Y. More than 400 years after her rule, Queen Elizabeth I will appear on the Metropolitan Opera stage this weekend for “Roberto Devereux,” capping a season of fascination with the royals. The opera will be beamed to cinemas worldwide as part of the Met’s “Live in HD” broadcasts, the latest appearance for Liz, who is the only character to feature in all three of the operas in Gaetano Donizetti’s historically inspired Tudor Queens trilogy.
Audiences fill the theater during “The Opera House” screening at the 55th New York Film Festival at The Metropolitan Opera House on Oct. 1, 2017 in New York.
People attend the 50th anniversary celebration of Spanish opera singer Placido Domingo during the season premiere of “Trittico” at the Metropolitan Opera on Nov. 23, 2018 in New York.
Guests arrive at the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts on Oct. 5, 2018 in New York City.
People arrive to watch Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera in New York on Jan. 23, 2018.
A person walks past the closed Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center on Jan. 7, 2021 in New York City.
Eric Owens performs as King Philippe II in Giuseppe Verdi’s “Don Carlos” at The Metropolitan Opera in New York City on Feb. 25, 2022.
A person take a picture of the Metropolitan Opera and the Ukrainian flag at Lincoln Center after attending “A Concert For Ukraine” on March 14, 2022 in New York.
