Met Opera Cuts Jobs, Salaries, and Shows in Cost-Cutting Push

The Metropolitan Opera announced 22 administrative layoffs, 4–15% salary reductions for 35 executives including general manager Peter Gelb, and a cut from 18 to 17 productions next season, with Mussorgsky’s Khovanshchina postponed, as it seeks about $40 million in immediate and near-term savings while awaiting a pending $200 million Saudi funding deal. The organization is also exploring revenue options such as selling naming rights, the murals, or renting the venue to pop acts, to maintain artistic standards and financial sustainability.