Metropolitan Opera House

New York’s premier opera company, the Metropolitan Opera offers a spectacular mixture of classics and premieres. This is the place to see favorites such as Carmen, Madam Butterfly, Macbeth and Otello, as well as new works like Hansel and Gretel and Les Contes d’Hoffmann, unveiled in 2009. The season runs from September to April. Though ticket prices start at $70 and can get close to $300, the standing-room tickets ($15 to $20) are one of NYC’s best bargains. They go on sale at 10am Saturday for the following week’s performances. True, your feet will hurt and you won’t see much, but you’ll hear everything. You can also stand in line to try and score a prized rush ticket – just $20 for an orchestra seat! The American Ballet Theatre (www.abt.org) presents its largely classical season of full-length ballets here each spring, also the place to catch visiting ballets from around the world. Be sure to get as close as you can afford, as high-up seats remove you greatly from the pomp and circumstance onstage.