Live in HD FAQ

Over 70 countries around the world participate in The Met: Live in HD season. Detailed information is available here. You may link to any of the cinema partner websites from the Met website.

The program was developed as a way to reach existing audiences and to introduce new audiences to opera through new technology.

The Met has an 80-year tradition of broadcasting live performances to millions of radio listeners globally on the Toll Brothers–Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network. This offered the springboard for the Live in HD program. Most of the HD transmissions are also simulcast on radio.

There is a huge team of people involved in bringing Met performances to the big screen. This includes everyone from stagehands and stage managers to the singers, chorus and orchestra, audio and video technicians, cameramen, producers, scriptwriters, hosts, and people in charge of marketing and distribution of the series.

Cast sheets and synopses are available by email prior to each live transmission. Sign up here. For complete information on the Live in HD season, you may also request a free copy of the Live in HD and Radio Program Guide, which includes synopses, casting, and special features.

Most live events will start at 12:55 pm ET, with some exceptions.

Generally, the encore presentations are on Wednesdays following the live performance. However, some independent and international theaters may show them on a varying schedule. Check with the participating theaters for detailed information.

We are working with our exhibitor partners now to confirm locations for the forthcoming season. Click here for the most up to date information.

New countries and new locations within existing countries are added on an ongoing basis. Please check here for the most current information. Theaters wishing to participate can fill out an application form on the Met website.

The Met: Live in HD is for everyone. The productions are chosen to represent a variety of styles and the full range of the Met repertoire and artists. They all feature great storytelling, great singing, and extraordinary production values. Many people tell us that it is a perfect, low-risk way to introduce a reluctant opera goer to the art form.

Various factors play a part in choosing the repertoire for Live in HD, including the music, the composers, the performers, a Met favorite, etc. In general, opera, when it’s presented at the highest level both musically and theatrically, appeals to a very broad audience.

The artists involved are excited to be a part of this initiative and reach worldwide audiences. It is as important to them as it is to the Met to keep opera one of the most thrilling art forms, relevant to our time, and a part of the cultural mainstream.

The Live in HD events are enhanced by specially produced features that offer audiences a look behind the scenes. These include live interviews with singers, directors, designers, and stage technicians, as well as documentaries and other short features. In the past seasons, the intermission features have been hosted by Met stars like Renée Fleming, Plácido Domingo, Joyce DiDonato, and Deborah Voigt.

Intermission times vary from production to production but most run approximately 30-40 minutes.

Yes, the encore presentations feature a direct recording of the live event transmission.

In the United States, tickets will go on sale to the general public in July each summer. Met Members at the Supporting Level ($150) or higher enjoy advance ticket access. Join online now or to ugrade your membership by phone, please call 1-800-MET-OPERA or 212-362-6000.

Please visit our website. Follow the instructions and you will be directed to a website where you can buy your tickets. Tickets are also on sale at participating theater box offices.

Ticket prices may vary between locations. Please check with your local theater.

Qualified Met Members are able to purchase tickets for all performances during the advance sales period. 

Group sales opportunities may be available at select AMC and Regal locations. Please call the customer service number of the theater to place your order (tickets are subject to availability).

The best thing to do is to keep checking the theater website. Sometimes theaters will open additional auditoriums at the same theater location. We also suggest that you consider another location nearby.  This provides a greater chance of getting tickets. Most theaters in the U.S. and Canada offer encores, which are an attractive option, particularly if the live exhibition is sold out. The encores feature the exact same content as the live presentations. For the best availability, we invite you to support the Met as a member at the Supporting Level ($150) or above to enjoy a priority ticketing period online and at theater box offices in advance of the general public.

The web is the fastest way to get your tickets. 

Tickets for HD transmissions are just like regular movie tickets and can’t be transferred to another location.

Most websites have similar procedures. Before you can purchase tickets, you will be asked to provide some basic contact information. Your login will normally consist of an email address and a password. Be sure to pick a password that is easy to remember. If you’ve already set up an account, you will simply have to provide your email address, password, and credit card information at checkout to complete the transaction.

At the top of every page on the Met website, you will find a link labeled “login.” If you have forgotten your password, click on the “forgot your password” link and follow the instructions. It is suggested you pick a username and password that are easy to remember.

If a show time link has been disabled it means the show is sold out. Keep checking back as additional screens may be added, or select an alternate location.

Please save the email confirmation you receive from the online ticketing agency. In the email, you will find a link that you can click on to re-print the ticket confirmation. When you come to the theater to pick up your tickets, please bring the credit card used to purchase them as well as the ticket confirmation.

Yes. As soon as you sign up for membership at the $150 level or above, you will be able to purchase Live in HD tickets online in the U.S. and Canada, during the Met Member priority ticketing periods.

Click here to become a Met member or upgrade your membership today. You may also call 1-800-MET-OPERA or 212-362-6000.

Please visit our website. Enter your city and state or country into the theater finder.

You will be able to enter the theater approximately 30 to 45 minutes before the transmission begins.

Prior to screenings, we test our live satellite feed to the theaters to enable them to make last-minute adjustments to their equipment, so that you are ensured the best possible viewing experience. The test period is closed to the public.

Please be sure to keep track of your purchases. Neither the Met nor the movie theaters are responsible for lost or stolen tickets.

The Met is interested in finding new partners all over the world. Click here to fill out an event application.

Feel free to wear whatever you would normally wear to go to a movie theater, although some patrons have told us they enjoy dressing up for the operas.

Most theaters do have special priority seating for guests who need assistance. We suggest arriving early to secure these seats and seeking the help of an usher or theater manager.

We are committed to bringing these extraordinary performances to opera lovers across the country – and around the globe – through our Live in HD series. This season, we will present ten live performances in more than 2,000 theaters in over 70 countries! Putting on a full season is expensive, and we rely on contributions from supporters like you to help keep the Met thriving, ensuring a strong future for generations to come. We welcome your membership support. Thank you for your generosity.

Yes, we welcome your gift of any amount. You may contribute online or by phone at 1-800-MET-OPERA or 212-362-6000. Thank you for your support!

Your contribution will help the Met present spectacular opera and share it with appreciative audiences around the world. Please Become A Member or Make A Gift of any amount today or call 1-800-MET-OPERA or 212-362-6000.

Yes, you can request your copy of our free Live in HD and Radio Guide, which will be available in October. Visit our website or call 212-362-6000.

There won’t be programs for sale at the theaters. Some theaters may choose to distribute cast sheets/synopses of the opera. Sign up for our cast sheet emails and we will email you the cast sheet/synopsis prior to each live transmission. 

People who request programs are entitled to one free HD Guide this season.

An encore performance is a re-exhibition of the live event. The encore schedule in the U.S. is available on the Met website. Most participating theaters in the U.S. will present encore screenings the Wednesday after the live transmission. Encore exhibitions do vary, so please contact your local participating theater for up-to-date information.

You can sign up for our email newsletter, “High Notes,” by clicking here.

There are on-screen subtitles for all transmissions. These are the same as the Met titles you see when you come to a live performance at the opera house. In most instances, the subtitles are provided in English. Spanish subtitles will be provided in Latin America and Spain; French in France, Switzerland, and Belgium (select locations); and German in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Subtitles are also available in Japanese in Japan, Portuguese in Brazil, Russian in Russia, Swedish in Sweden, and Korean in South Korea.

Feature films are typically shot on 35 mm film. The HD broadcasts are shot in high-quality video for a live performance. Video looks different from film on any size screen.

Recent advances in digital technology have made the transmissions possible.  Theaters are transforming their projection equipment to the digital age, and are installing satellite equipment to enable them to receive a live HD signal. HD sets a standard of quality that didn’t exist before and that provides a real cinematic experience in a live format, which is perfectly suited to opera.

We experienced a few video and audio glitches at various theater locations during each transmission in the U.S.  The problems are “local” in nature; one cinema may experience a small problem, while another nearby has a perfect transmission.  Our cinema partner assembled a quality control team to report any issues brought to their attention during the transmissions. Instant reports were provided to the Met’s HD technical advisor. Most technical issues were addressed and rectified immediately.

It’s our goal to provide the best viewing experience possible for all HD audiences. Even though all live programs are subject to technical issues, the problems often rest with the individual movie theaters. Speak to the theater manager and let them know about your experience so they can work towards making the necessary adjustments. The exhibitor partners work with us to address any problems that occur locally. You may also let us know via email at HDLive@metopera.org or send a letter to: HD Distribution department, The Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center, New York, NY 10023, if you have specific feedback to share with us.

The broadcasts are produced with at least 10 cameras, meaning there are multiple points of view. There are many different kinds of shots, including special camera zooms and close-ups.

Sometimes the original theatrical lighting is modified for the transmissions. There is a collaborative process between the HD video controllers and the stage lighting artists who work at the Met. Often there are no changes. The Met has never added any lighting instruments for television or HD.

Our broadcasts are engineered and delivered to movie theaters in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound to accommodate most movie theater systems. It is the next best audio experience to being in the opera house itself.

HD is the format used for wide-screen presentations. Since the Met is shooting in HD, the broadcasts are compatible with wide-screen. PBS will downgrade the presentation to standard definition for television, but will also present the original broadcasts on their HD channels.

The exhibitions in schools are for students, parents, and school faculty only. Click here to get the most updated information about The Met: HD Live in Schools.

Yes. Parents planning on attending an opera can help their children better prepare by downloading study materials here.

Yes. There are more than 40 markets across the country that will bring students to select HD screenings throughout the season, with further cities scheduled to join ongoing.

If you’re interested in bringing HD Live in Schools into your school district, please visit metopera.org/education to fill out an interest form.

You may make a fully tax-deductible gift here.

Your contribution will help fund free HD tickets for students and teachers and provide educator materials, including guides, audio clips and student resources.

A number of past HD performances are available for purchase at the Met Opera Shop.