Classical music may not always seem relevant or relatable, especially to the young. But the Metropolitan Opera, America’s leading company, is trying to reach new audiences with a repertoire exploring contemporary themes. That appears to be working. Last season’s attendances approached pre-pandemic levels. The season opens on Monday with “Grounded”, a new opera which is timely, but perhaps not quite relatable. The work by Jeanine Tesori, a Broadway composer, is based on a play by George Brant, another American, which was first performed in 2013. It follows a female fighter pilot who unexpectedly gets pregnant while on leave. She is demoted from flying an F-16 in Iraq to drone duty in Las Vegas. Massive LED screens illuminate the stage as she pilots a Reaper drone and sings of her woes. Previous showings have not been without controversy: the premiere last year in Washington, DC
was sponsored by a defence contractor.
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