Opening Night at the Met Gets Booed

In a rare negative reaction for the venue, booing followed the opening night of the Metropolitan Opera, Monday.

The hostility at the "Tosca" gala was not directed toward the singers, but the Swiss director, Luc Bondy. He and the production team were harshly booed after appearing on stage, and management brought down the curtain.

The Bondy directed version replaced Franco Zeffirelli's production, which has been a Met favorite since its inception in 1985.

Some Internet critics called the production pretentious, while others found it refreshing, the New York Times reports.

"The reaction was very, very violent because they have a 'Tosca' since 22 years or 30 years and they don't want to see something different," Mr. Bondy said. "To think one work exists, and it has a final interpretation, is a problem."

Bondy took several liberties with the production, taking a more modern approach and using sparse sets and costumes.

The production is scheduled for seven more performances this fall.