The Metropolitan Opera has announced that its 2021/22 season will include the North American premiere of Hamlet by Austalian composer Brett Dean with a libretto by Canadian Matthew Jocelyn, former Artistic and General Director of Canadian Stage from 2009-18. Jocelyn’s English libretto uses as little as 20 per cent of the play's text and also takes inspiration from the "first quarto" as it offers a different view on certain moments. 

When Dean’s Hamlet had its world premiere at the Glyndebourne Festival in 2017, The Guardian declared, “New opera doesn’t often get to sound this good … Shakespeare offers a gauntlet to composers that shouldn’t always be picked up, but Dean’s Hamlet rises to the challenge.” Now, this riveting contemporary masterpiece arrives at the Met, with Neil Armfield, who directed the work’s premiere, bringing his acclaimed staging to New York. Many of the original cast members have followed, including tenor Allan Clayton in the title role. Nicholas Carter makes his Met debut conducting a remarkable ensemble, which also features soprano Brenda Rae as Ophelia, mezzo-soprano Dame Sarah Connolly as Gertrude, baritone Rod Gilfry as Claudius, and legendary bass Sir John Tomlinson as the ghost of Hamlet’s father.

The production runs May 13 to June 9, 2022.

Tickets go on sale to Patrons October 12 at 10AM.

Tickets go on sale to Members ($150 Supporting level and above) and Subscribers October 19 at 10AM.

Tickets go on sale to audience members with money on account or who donated their canceled performance tickets October 26.

Ticket on-sale date for the general public will be announced in early 2021.

For more information, visit www.metopera.org.

Photo: Allan Clayton as Hamlet. © 2017 Glyndebourne Festival.