Aptly described in newyorkcitytheatre.com as “a vengeful obsession” that “becomes a deadly pursuit…across the thrashing sea,” Nantucket audiences will be treated to a preview highlight sampling of The Metropolitan Opera’s 2025 production of Moby-Dick on Tuesday, July 30, co-hosted by the Nantucket Historical Association and Nantucket Dreamland.
This one-night-only prelude of composer and pianist Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer’s “sea-drenched, heaven-storming epic” will be performed in the Dreamland. The program will feature the inside story of the opera’s creation from Heggie, highlighted with film clips from the San Francisco Opera, and performances by acclaimed tenor Nicholas Phan and baritone Daniel Rich. A rooftop reception with the artists will follow.
“We are thrilled to welcome The Metropolitan Opera to the island this summer with our partners at Nantucket Dreamland. It is a fitting place to host a special opportunity to preview portions of the Met Opera’s 2025 production of Moby-Dick and provide the community and summer visitors the rare opportunity to hear great opera singers perform this thrilling music,” said Niles Parker, NHA Gosnell Executive Director.
“This is an incredible opportunity to experience the transformative power of live performance on our small island with the world-class Metropolitan Opera. While Dreamland has long been a venue for sharing the MET Live broadcast screenings in our theaters, the opportunity to bring this live, one-of-a-kind evening to our Nantucket community is truly extraordinary. We look forward to welcoming our friends and neighbors to this historic event and extend our sincere thanks to our partners at the Nantucket Historical Association for their enthusiasm and collaborative spirit in presenting this special preview performance,” said Dreamland’s Executive Director Alicia Carney.
Following its premiere, the opera was hailed as “a whale of a hit” (Associated Press), “an undeniable success” (The New York Times), “a triumph” (Dallas Morning News), “the hit of the season” (The Washington Post), “glorious and gripping” (Opera Today), “powerful and emotionally irresistible” (San Francisco Chronicle). With a libretto by Gene Scheer, based on the iconic novel by Herman Melville, the opera tells the famous story of Captain Ahab and the ill-fated whaleship Pequod. After the white whale known as Moby Dick tears off one of Ahab’s legs, he becomes obsessed with finding and destroying him at any cost. Only the ship’s first mate, Starbuck, sees the deadly implications of Ahab’s obsession.
The Metropolitan Opera, founded in New York in 1883, has been home to the world’s most creative and talented singers, conductors, composers, stage directors, choreographers, and more ever since. The company stages more than 200 opera performances each season and welcomes more than 800,000 attendees a year.
The performance and reception will take place in Nantucket Dreamland’s main theater. Tickets for this special prelude of The Met Opera’s Moby-Dick are on sale now, with a performance ticket and a performance-plus-reception ticket offering.
The Nantucket Historical Association preserves, interprets and shares the diverse stories of Nantucket with all audiences through its collections, properties, programs, and research. The Nantucket Dreamland is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the cultural and intellectual life of Nantucket by providing year-round films, educational programs, and a venue for community activities that engage Nantucket in the evolving world of entertainment and education. The Dreamland’s mission is to build community on Nantucket year-round by bringing people together to share experiences through film, art, culture, and learning.
