Eugene Onegin is built around the letter scene, twenty minutes of a young woman writing herself into love at a desk, and Asmik Grigorian is the soprano of the moment for that kind of unguarded singing. Projected onto the front of the Met with the plaza fountain running behind the crowd, it plays less like a screening than an outdoor concert with 2,500 people sitting very still. If you want one free night out this Labor Day weekend that does not involve a crowd shouting over a DJ, take this one.
What to expect
Seating fills the plaza facing the opera house, with the film projected on the building itself and amplified across the square. Expect picnic blankets, wine from the surrounding cafes and a genuinely quiet audience once the music starts. The running time is about two hours forty minutes with intervals built into the broadcast.
Good to know
- Take the 1 to 66th Street-Lincoln Center; the plaza is at street level
- Come early — seats go first-come, first-served and the good rows fill fast
- Sung in Russian with English subtitles on screen
- Bring a jacket for the second half once the plaza cools
- No rain dates, so a wet forecast means cancellation
- Free, unticketed and easy to slip out of between acts
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Common questions
Is it subtitled?
Yes. The Live in HD broadcast carries English subtitles on screen, and the opera is sung in Russian.
Can I bring food and drink?
Plaza audiences routinely bring picnics; the surrounding Lincoln Center cafes are also open through the screening.
How early should I arrive?
Seats are unreserved and first-come, first-served, so arriving well before the start time is the difference between a front row and standing at the back.
More this weekend
