Paul Plishka, a powerful bass with a ready smile and hearty laugh who sang 1,672 performances at the Metropolitan Opera over 51 years, has died.

Otto Schenk, an actor who became a noted director praised for traditional opera productions and criticized by advocates of contemporary approaches, died Thursday.

Daniele Rustioni will become just the third principal guest conductor of the Metropolitan Opera in its nearly century-and-a-half history, leading at least two productions each season starting in 2025-26 as a No. 2 to music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

Soprano Kathleen Battle is returning to the Metropolitan Opera at age 75 for a recital on May 12.

Yannick Nézet-Séguin is remaking the Metropolitan Opera from the bottom up.

Lucy Simon, the composer who received a Tony nomination in 1991 for her work on the long-running Broadway musical “The Secret Garden,” has died.

The Metropolitan Opera sold 56% of ticket dollar capacity this season as it returned from a 1 1/2-year absence.

They both carved out sterling reputations as military and political leaders over years of public service.

“Fire Shut Up in My Bones” became the first work by a Black composer in the 138-year history of the Metropolitan Opera as the company presented its first staged performance since March 2000 following a gap caused by the coronavirus.

The Metropolitan Opera returned to its home after an 18-month absence caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Metropolitan Opera showed a tax return revealing it is $31 million in the black during the fiscal year that ended last July 31, but the company said the figure included mostly pledges for future years.

FILE - Boston Symphony Orchestra music director James Levine conducts the symphony on its opening night performance at Tanglewood in Lenox, Mass. “No artist in the 137 year history of the Met had as profound an impact as James Levine,” Gelb said in a statement. In one instance, the Met accused Levine of inappropriately touching a musician starting in 1979 and six more times until 1991. The following February, he became principal conductor for the Met’s 1973-74 season, assisting music director Rafael Kubelik, and became music director with the 1976-77 season. Levine was downgraded to music director when he joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 2004.

NEW YORK Yannick Nzet-Sguins earned $392,152 during his first portion of his first season as the Metropolitan Opera's music director, about a quarter of what James Levine earned in his last full season as music director emeritus. Levine was music or artistic director from 1976-2016, then became music director emeritus after the 2016-17 season. Nzet-Sguin started as music director in 2018-19, two years ahead of schedule, and conducted three operas. His full-time duties as music director dont begin until next season, Met general manager Peter Gelb said. Nzet-Sguin earned $1,380,667 from the Philadelphia Orchestra, where he also is music director, in the return for the year ending Aug. 31, 2018.