Mayor Mamdani announces 70,000 free Met Opera tickets for NYC residents

Some 70,000 free tickets to the Metropolitan Opera will be available to New Yorkers as part of a new lottery. 

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced "Opera for All" Thursday. It's a long-term partnership between the city and the opera. 

As part of "Opera for All," the Met will release 10,000 tickets each month throughout the 2026-27 season, starting this month. That's about 10% of all tickets for the season, the mayor's office said. 

New Yorkers can enter the lottery online or through the Met's app. Any New York City resident who has not purchased a Met Opera ticket since 2019 is eligible. 

"Opera is one of the greatest art forms we have, and there is no better place to experience it than the Metropolitan Opera House," Mamdani said. "But art should not be reserved for those who can afford it. Every New Yorker should have the opportunity to sit in these seats, hear these voices and experience this stage, no matter what's in their bank account."

"Throughout its storied history, the Met has culturally enriched New York," said Peter Gelb, the Metropolitan Opera's general manager. "With this new initiative, we hope to further demonstrate that the Met is a vital part of life in the city." 

This season's performances include "Macbeth," "Lincoln in the Bardo" and "La Bohème." Tickets will be available in every section of the house at Lincoln Square, excluding standing room.

In a statement, Met officials said they are committed to continuing this program in future seasons. 

This is not the first time Mamdani has created a lottery to expand access to arts and culture shows. The mayor announced free and low-cost Broadway and off-Broadway tickets for high school students in August. 

There were also lotteries for discounted World Cup and U.S. Open tickets.