After over a year of being shutdown, the sounds of angelic musical voices from New York’s legendary Metropolitan Opera will be heard beginning next month. Currently, the crew is working around the clocking polishing up the full beloved Lincoln Center Opera house including its famous crystal chandeliers both in the lobby and in the auditorium.
The history of Met’s famous chandelier designed actually happened by complete accident over 50+ years ago. Originally designed by Tad Leski, he was assigned to create a beautiful look for the lobby of the opera house to be presented at a meeting with Wallace K. Harrison and John D. Rockefeller. While doing finishing touches on the design, Leski was using white paint and all of a sudden….. the paint began to SPLAT all over the paper. He had no time to start over. Luckily, Leski was a person always on his toes thinking of an alternative idea….. the splat creating a beautiful authentic element to the design. He quickly added some lines around the paint splat….. looking like fireworks and stars….. giving refracted light from the chandeliers. The meeting turned out to be a success. Rockefeller, Harrison, and everyone at the table praised it. It began known as The Met’s famous chandeliers.
There are over 21 of these beautiful crystal chandeliers that were donated to the Met and designed in Austria. Each of them come in different sizes spread all over the Opera house. The largest ism 18 ft (5.5 m) in diameter.
For those who have been to The Metropolitan Opera, there are about 11 hung in the lobby with 21 chandeliers hung in the auditorium.
FUN FACT: 12 of the chandeliers in the auditorium are on motorized winches. It plays a huge iconic moment for anyone who goes to see either the Opera itself or even American Ballet Theatre. At the top of the show, not only the lights begin to dim….. these chandeliers rise all the way to the top of the ceiling. It’s an unforgettable moment to witness right as the Opera is about to begin.
The Metropolitan Opera will reopen its doors for the 2021-2022 season starting September 27th, 2021 with the debut of Terence Blanchard’s new Opera adaptation of Charles M. Blow’s moving memoir FIRE SHUT UP IN MY BONES. From there, you can expect many of the classic Operas to return with their legendary productions and new ones too.
Who is excited?
Who has been to The Met and seen this legendary chandeliers?
