Maria Stuarda at Metropolitan Opera: Donizetti Bel Canto

Two Queens, One Stage: Donizetti's Charged Historical Duel

You arrive to find your assigned seat waiting at one of the world's premier opera venues. Over the evening, you watch Oropesa and Meade navigate Donizetti's bel canto masterpiece—a drama of two queens, two voices, and one unforgettable confrontation. Taxes and fees are included; accessibility options are available on request.

Is this one for you?Right for anyone who wants to experience a major bel canto work with two world-class sopranos in a striking production—the fixed performance time and assigned seating mean you just show up and the evening unfolds without logistics.

What’s included

• Your ticket includes entry to the performance, assigned seating at the Metropolitan Opera House, and all taxes, fees and handling charges.
• Wheelchair accessible seating and transfer seating are available upon request at checkout.
• The venue is located in Lincoln Center with nearby public transportation.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Attend Maria Stuarda opera performance

• Arrive at the Metropolitan Opera
• Watch Maria Stuarda opera
• Enjoy performance by Lisette Oropesa
• See Angela Meade as Elisabetta
• Watch René Barbera as Leicester
• Experience David McVicar’s production
• Listen to Maestro Enrique Mazzola conduct

The Experience

The curtain is already rising on Enrique Mazzola's production when you slip into your seat at the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center. Lisette Oropesa, fresh from her triumph in Bellini's I Puritani, is stepping into the role of Mary, Queen of Scots—a doomed monarch caught between love and survival. Across the stage, soprano Angela Meade commands the role of Elizabeth I, the English queen bent on her rival's destruction. The tension between them is the whole opera, and it builds from the first notes.

What makes Maria Stuarda different from other bel canto works is how the drama lives in the voices themselves. Donizetti wrote this opera—based on Friedrich Schiller's play—so that the music does the work of history, even when the facts bend a little. The orchestral writing is beautiful, but it's the singers who carry the weight. The great confrontation scene at the end of Act I is where everything lands: two sopranos (or a soprano and mezzo, depending on the casting) in direct conflict, their voices the only thing between you and the stage. Maestro Mazzola keeps the whole thing moving, and David McVicar's production is striking without drowning out the music.

You'll find your seat assigned by the theater at the time of purchase—best available seating means you're not hunting for your row number or wondering if you got a decent view. The Metropolitan Opera House itself is accessible, with public transportation nearby and wheelchair seating available if you need it. Just note your requirements when you check out, and they'll have the right space ready. All taxes and fees are already built in, so there's no surprise at the door.

Top questions

Who is singing Maria Stuarda in this production?

Lisette Oropesa sings the title role of Mary, Queen of Scots, with soprano Angela Meade as Queen Elizabeth I.

What is bel canto opera?

A mid-19th-century style where the drama is embedded in the vocal parts—the singers carry the emotional and narrative weight, not the orchestra alone.

Who is conducting?

Maestro Enrique Mazzola conducts David McVicar's production.

Are the seats assigned in advance?

Yes. Best available seats are assigned by the theater at the time of purchase and listed on your actual tickets.

Is the Metropolitan Opera House accessible?

Yes. The venue is wheelchair accessible, and transfer seating (retractable arm aisle seat) or wheelchair seating is available. Advise your needs in the Special Requirements field at checkout.

What is included in the ticket price?

All taxes, fees and handling charges are included.

How long is Maria Stuarda?

The opera is approximately three hours, including intermissions.

Is public transportation available?

Yes. Public transportation options are available near Lincoln Center.