Even snakes have to audition for the opera at the Met. Princess the boa constrictor got the part
Princess, a larger sun-glow boa constrictor, won the audition and will join rehearsals on a trial basis, the Met said.
- On Aug. 28, 2026, the Metropolitan Opera selected a boa constrictor named Princess for a role in an adaptation of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's opera in New York.
- This adaptation, inspired by a 1950s Coney Island carnival, features performance artist Zoe Ziegfeld as the snake handler, who evaluates the snakes' demeanor face-to-face before rehearsals.
- Nancy Novograd of All Tame Animals provided the snakes, ensuring the chosen reptile has the right color, size, and temperament for stage performance.
- Princess, a larger yellow-peach boa constrictor, secured the role due to her visual presence, while a slightly smaller brown boa constrictor named Nala will serve as understudy.
- Having spent seasons performing on Coney Island, Ziegfeld, a former carnival performer who previously executed a Human Blockhead act, brings authentic experience to the opera's sideshow-themed production.
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Santa Maria Times
Independent EspañolNEW YORK (AP) — Virtually everyone on the stage of the New York Metropolitan Opera must pass an audition, including the snake that will briefly occupy the center of the scene in a forthcoming adaptation of a...
Even snakes have to audition for the opera at the Met. Princess the bo
Performance artist Zoe Ziegfeld who plays the part of a snake charmer poses for a portrait with a snake during auditions to select a snake for a part in an adaptation of Mozart’s “Così fan tutte," at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)
Associated Press News
Even snakes have to audition for the opera at the Met. Princess the boa constrictor got the part
The Metropolitan Opera in New York requires auditions for everyone on stage. Even the snake in its adaptation of Mozart's "Così fan tutte."
Virtually everyone on the stage of the New York Metropolitan Opera must pass an audition, including the snake that will briefly occupy the center of the scene in a forthcoming adaptation of a Mozart classic.
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