Metropolitan Opera Partners With The Saudi Music Commission 

The Met will become the resident winter company of Saudi Arabia’s soon-to-be-completed Royal Diriyah Opera House

The Saudi Music Commission, the Royal Diriyah Opera House, and the Metropolitan Opera have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the aims of developing top-tier opera productions and cultural exchange. 

As part of the MoU, the Met will serve as the resident winter company of Saudi Arabia’s Royal Diriyah Opera House when it officially opens in 2028. Designed by the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta, the 46,000 square meter opera house will accommodate around 3,500 people across four venues. 

Further, the Met company will travel to Riyadh each winter for five years, to perform fully staged operas and concerts over three-week periods, plus provide training to emerging Saudi opera singers, composers, directors, designers, theater artisans, and technicians. Part of the initiative will also include the commissioning of a new opera.

“Music is a universal language that transcends borders, uniting people through creativity,” said Saudi Music Commission’s CEO Paul Pacifico. “At the Saudi Music Commission, we are committed to empowering talents, providing them with the skills, platforms, and global exposure they need to flourish. This collaboration is more than a cultural exchange; it is an opportunity to forge new connections, share our stories through music, and contribute to a vibrant global arts community.”

“Cultural exchange between countries is essential on a human level, and this plan to collaborate will also provide new avenues of significant support for the Met,” added the Met’s General Manager Peter Gelb. 

“The opening of the Royal Opera House in Diriyah will be a landmark moment in the Kingdom’s cultural journey, and a testament to our commitment to making Diriyah a global destination for arts and culture,” noted Diriyah Company’s Group CEO Jerry Inzerillo. “This collaboration between the Saudi Music Commission and the Metropolitan Opera reflects our vision of building bridges of cultural exchange and offers Saudi talent a world stage to shine and create.”

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