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The Metropolitan Opera in New York City has announced that a significant funding deal with Saudi Arabia has collapsed. The agreement, initially unveiled in September 2025, promised $200 million over eight years to help the opera house recover from financial losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Peter Gelb, the general manager of the Met, the Saudi government cited economic pressures due to the ongoing conflict in Iran as the reason for withdrawing their support.
The deal was intended as a cultural exchange, which would have included performances in Saudi Arabia. However, the Saudi government has decided to focus on funding essential projects only, given the financial strain from the Middle East conflict and disrupted oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, as reported by CelebrityAccess.
The cancellation leaves the Met with a $30 million budget shortfall to address by the end of its fiscal year. The opera company has already begun implementing cost-saving measures, including layoffs, temporary pay cuts, and a reduced performance schedule, as noted by Slipped Disc.
The proposed partnership had faced criticism due to Saudi Arabia's human rights record, particularly following the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Despite the setback, the Met plans to continue its performance schedule without cancellations, relying on public fundraising and new revenue strategies to compensate for the lost funding.
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