Collapsed Met Opera investment sparks debate over future classical funding

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 Arabia’s new Royal Diriyah Opera House, meaning the company would travel to the Middle East for three weeks in each of the next five years.

At the time, the Met’s financial disclosures for the prior twelve months showed it had generated $71m (€61m) in box…

You've used your free article this month

Create a free account to read 3 articles per month, or subscribe for unlimited access.

Create a Free Account Subscribe

Already have an account? Sign in