Opera fans in Utica will be able to see two major Metropolitan Opera productions without making the trip to New York City this October. Munson Met Opera Utica will show Mozart’s Così fan tutte on Saturday, Oct. 3, and Verdi’s Macbeth on Saturday, Oct. 17, as part of The Met: Live in HD series.
Both live broadcasts begin at 1 p.m. in the Sinnott Family–Bank of Utica Auditorium at Munson, 310 Genesee St. Tickets cost $26 for Munson members, $32 for the general public and $16 for students. Student tickets must be purchased by phone at 315-797-0000.
The screenings give Mohawk Valley residents a local way to experience live opera from the Metropolitan Opera stage. The broadcasts include close camera views, detailed sound and behind-the-scenes features that are designed for cinema audiences.
October opens with Mozart’s “Così fan tutte”
The first October program is Mozart’s Così fan tutte, a comedy about love, trust and mistaken identity. The opera will be transmitted live on Oct. 3 in the opening broadcast of the Met’s 2026-27 Live in HD season.
Munson describes the production as a “colorful tale of romance, wit, and mistaken identities.” Director Phelim McDermott’s staging places the story in a 1950s Coney Island setting. The amusement-park backdrop gives the production a bright visual style while the story tests the promises made by two couples.
Mozart wrote the music, and Lorenzo Da Ponte wrote the Italian-language libretto. Their work combines comedy with a more serious look at loyalty and human behavior. That mix has kept the opera in the repertory for more than two centuries.
A live cultural connection for Utica
The program matters locally because viewers are seeing the same performance as audiences at the Met in New York. The Metropolitan Opera’s cinema schedule lists Così fan tutte for 1 p.m. Eastern Time on Oct. 3, matching Munson’s schedule.
For residents who may be new to opera, the local screening removes several barriers. It does not require travel, hotel costs or a trip to a large theater. Students also have access to a reduced ticket price. Munson’s downtown location places the performance near restaurants, parking and other Utica destinations.
Verdi’s “Macbeth” follows Oct. 17
The second broadcast brings Shakespeare’s tragedy to the opera stage. Verdi’s Macbeth follows a Scottish nobleman and his wife as ambition, violence and guilt push them toward ruin.
Baritone Quinn Kelsey stars as Macbeth. Soprano Lise Davidsen sings Lady Macbeth, one of opera’s demanding dramatic roles. Tenor Freddie De Tommaso appears as Macduff, and bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green sings Banquo. Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts the production by director Louisa Proske.
The Metropolitan Opera’s official production page calls the work a “thrilling take” on Shakespeare’s story. Verdi’s music gives added force to the plot’s fear, political struggle and moral collapse.
Although many people know Shakespeare’s play from school, the opera offers a different path into the story. Music carries the tension, and the chorus becomes an important voice in the world around Macbeth. The result can make a familiar plot feel immediate again.
How to attend the Munson screenings
Both presentations take place in the Sinnott Family–Bank of Utica Auditorium. The Oct. 3 and Oct. 17 programs each start at 1 p.m.
Tickets are available through Munson’s official Met: Live in HD page or by calling 315-797-0000. General admission is $32. Munson members pay $26, and students pay $16.
Because each event is a live transmission, audiences should plan to arrive before the listed start time. Anyone who needs accessibility information or help purchasing a student ticket can contact Munson directly.
The season continues into 2027
Munson’s Live in HD schedule continues after October. The announced lineup includes Samson et Dalila on Dec. 5, La Fanciulla del West on Jan. 23, Silent Night on March 20, Manon on April 3, Otello on April 24 and Parsifal on June 5.
The season gives Central New York audiences repeated access to productions that would otherwise be hundreds of miles away. It also adds live international arts programming to Utica’s fall and winter calendar.
For longtime opera followers, October offers two very different works, one built around comic confusion and the other around deadly ambition. For first-time viewers, the local screenings offer a practical introduction to the art form in a familiar community setting.
