As a good socialist, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has promoted giving away all kinds of free stuff — with promises to do so having been a key part of his electoral success. This time, however, it’s not a “free lunch” but “free opera” — as is New York CIty’s iconic Metropolitan Opera.
Never been to the opera before?
Now’s your chance. We’re giving away 70,000 free tickets to the @MetOpera at the iconic Lincoln Center. Go to https://t.co/LpKzEcL0V5 to enter the lottery. There’s not a bad seat in the house. pic.twitter.com/qdOVnFd3J3— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) September 24, 2026
He’s prepared a video promoting a lottery that will be used to hand out some 70,000 free tickets to the Metropolitan Opera.
“Never been to the opera before? Now’s your chance. We’re giving away 70,000 free tickets to the @MetOpera at the iconic Lincoln Center. Go to on.nyc.gov/opera to enter the lottery. There’s not a bad seat in the house,” he said on social media.
The plan is for 10,000 tickets each month to be handed out during the 2026-27 season.
“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.”
Options this season include “Macbeth,” “Lincoln in the Bardo” and “La Bohème.”
The mayor already has tried to impress the public with programs for discounted Broadway tickets for students, discounted tickets for several sporting events, and the same for residents to attend the U.S. Open.
According to a report in the Star, the Met tickets usually cost less than $100, but prices “can soar.”
