Otello at the Metropolitan Opera: Verdi's Shakespearean tragedy

1/4

Duration2h 55m

Mobile ticketAccepted

Two tenors, two sopranos new to the role, and Verdi's most intense score in one evening

Otello at the Metropolitan Opera is a ticket to Verdi's Shakespearean tragedy, performed by two of opera's leading dramatic tenors alternating in the title role, with sopranos Angel Blue and Ailyn Pérez making their company debuts as Desdemona. The production, directed by Bartlett Sher, moves the action from Shakespeare's 15th-century Cyprus to the time the opera was written. Seating options range from orchestra to family circle and balcony tiers. Accessible seating is available with advance notice.

2h 55m

Step-by-step itinerary

Attend Otello opera at the Met

Arrive at the Metropolitan Opera House
Watch Otello performance by leading tenors
Enjoy soprano and baritone performances
Experience full Met Orchestra and Chorus

The Experience

Otello is often called Italian opera's greatest tragedy, and the score backs that up. It runs nearly three hours of unbroken intensity, with the orchestra and chorus driving the drama forward without pause. The librettist Arrigo Boito distilled Shakespeare's play into a taut libretto that demands everything from the singers, especially the tenor singing Otello. Michael Fabiano and Brian Jagde share the role across performances, both known for the power and control the part requires. Daniele Rustioni and Michele Mariotti conduct the full Met Orchestra and Chorus through Verdi's relentless score.

The current production moves the action to the 1880s, the era when Verdi composed the opera, rather than staying in Shakespeare's late-15th-century Cyprus. That shift grounds the jealousy and political intrigue in a world closer to the composer's own time. The supporting cast includes baritones Amartuvshin Enkhbat and Artur Ruciński as Iago, the architect of Otello's downfall. Angel Blue and Ailyn Pérez are both making their Met role debuts as Desdemona, the character caught between her husband's rage and Iago's manipulation.

Seating is assigned by the theater at the time of purchase and will be printed on your ticket. Options span the orchestra (rear, prime, front side sections), grand tier (prime and balance), family circle (prime and balance), and balcony prime. If you need accessible seating (transfer seating with a retractable arm aisle seat or wheelchair space), note it in the special requirements field at checkout. All taxes and fees are included in the ticket price.

What’s included

Ticket to the performance.
all taxes, fees and handling charges.
assigned seating in your chosen section.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessiblePublic transport nearby

Operated by Broadway Inbound

Is this one for you?The performance runs nearly three hours without intermission, so you're committing to the full intensity of Verdi's score in one sitting: ideal if you want the complete dramatic arc rather than a shorter, edited version. Seating options let you choose your sightline and distance from the stage before you buy, so you're not gambling on what the theater assigns.