Gabriela Lena Frank's opera is one of the very few Spanish-language works the Met has ever staged, and its premise is pure Kahlo: the painter is let out of the underworld for a single Day of the Dead to decide whether Diego Rivera deserves her. Isabel Leonard sings Frida, Carlos Alvarez sings Diego, and the marigold-and-skeleton design reads enormous projected across the opera house. If you want the most visually striking of the free plaza nights, this is it.
What to expect
Free seating fills Lincoln Center Plaza facing the projection on the opera house facade, with full amplified sound. The production is heavy on colour and Day of the Dead imagery, which is the main reason it plays so well at that scale. Around two hours of running time, and audiences drift in and out freely.
Good to know
- 1 train to 66th Street-Lincoln Center leaves you at the plaza
- Sung in Spanish with English subtitles on screen
- Seating is unreserved — earlier arrival means a better sightline
- Shortest of the weekend's three screenings at roughly two hours
- No rain date, so weather cancels the night outright
- Free, no ticket, no dress code
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Common questions
What language is it sung in?
Spanish, with English subtitles displayed on screen during the broadcast.
Is this suitable if I have never been to an opera?
Yes — it is short by opera standards at about two hours, free, and visually driven, which makes it one of the easier entry points.
Do I need to reserve a seat?
No. All plaza seating is free, unticketed and first-come, first-served.
More this weekend
