Met Opera’s ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ World Premiere Draws Dua Lipa, Amy Poehler and Other Celebrities

On Tuesday night the Metropolitan Opera unveiled the world premiere of ‘Lincoln in the Bardo,’ a three‑hour adaptation of George Saunders’s Booker‑winning novel. The production, commissioned in 2018 and scored by composer Missy Mazzoli with librettist Royce Vavrek, turned the novel’s after‑life narrative into a smoky, ghost‑filled graveyard onstage. A‑list guests including pop star Dua Lipa, comedian Amy Poehler, comedian Bowen Yang and actor Callum Turner filled the house, turning the event into a rare crossover of pop culture and high art. The premiere also marks the Met’s first world‑premiere opera written by a woman, underscoring its broader effort to diversify programming.

What happened

The Met hosted a gala dinner before the performance, seating author George Saunders alongside Dua Lipa, Callum Turner, Amy Poehler, Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers. The evening’s audience watched the opera’s opening in a massive, smoky graveyard set, where ghosts in period garb drift among towering moss‑covered trees and creeping vines that interact with the performers.

Composer Missy Mazzoli, commissioned in 2018 to write an opera on any subject, chose Saunders’s novel and collaborated with longtime lyricist Royce Vavrek. Directed by Tony‑nominated Lileana Blain‑Cruz, the three‑hour work blends the novel’s dark humor—such as a chorus of kazoos—with a meditation on grief and acceptance.

Why it matters

The production is the Met’s first world‑premiere opera penned by a female composer, signaling a concrete step toward gender equity in a traditionally male‑dominated field. Celebrity attendance bridges the gap between opera and mainstream pop culture, potentially drawing younger, more diverse audiences. By adapting a contemporary literary work, the Met demonstrates that opera can remain relevant by engaging with modern storytelling and social themes.

How to think about it

If you’re a streaming‑savvy viewer, treat the recording as a narrative film: focus on character arcs, visual motifs, and the way music underscores grief. Look for the moments where the opera leans into humor—like the ghost chorus with kazoos—to appreciate its tonal balance. Consider pairing the watch with Saunders’s novel or a brief primer on the concept of the “bardo” to deepen your understanding of the story’s spiritual backdrop.

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