Collapsed Met Opera investment sparks debate over future classical funding
The legendary New York opera company is now seeking to replace $200m that was lost when investors backed out last month
News By Ciaran Donnelly | 27 May 2026
Controversy is ongoing around what efforts classical performing arts organisations should make to attract external investment, ignited by the fallout following the collapse of a funding bid to support the New York Metropolitan Opera (the Met) last month.
In late April, the Saudi Music Commission pulled out of a $200m (€172m) funding deal that was laid out in a Memorandum of Understanding in September 2025. The conditions of the funding included the Met becoming the resident winter company of Saudi…
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