
BRETT DEAN / LIBRETTO BY MATTHEW JOCELYN
Hamlet
LIVE IN HD
Overview
When Australian composer Brett Dean’s Hamlet had its world premiere at the Glyndebourne Festival in 2017, The Guardian declared, “New opera doesn’t often get to sound this good … Shakespeare offers a gauntlet to composers that shouldn’t always be picked up, but Dean’s Hamlet rises to the challenge.” On June 4, this riveting contemporary masterpiece appears live in cinemas, with Neil Armfield, who directed the work’s premiere, bringing his acclaimed staging to the Met stage. Many of the original cast members have followed, including tenor Allan Clayton in the title role. Nicholas Carter makes his Met debut conducting a remarkable ensemble, which also features soprano Brenda Rae as Ophelia, mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly as Gertrude, baritone Rod Gilfry as Claudius, and legendary bass John Tomlinson as the ghost of Hamlet’s father. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.
Buy tickets for Hamlet live in the opera house here.
Hamlet is a Glyndebourne production
Production a gift of Lynne and Richard Pasculano
Additional support provided by The Walter and Leonore Annenberg Endowment Fund, and the National Endowment for the Arts
Languages
Languages sung in Hamlet
Sung In
English
Titles
Title languages displayed for Hamlet
Met Titles In
- English
- German
- Spanish
- Italian
Timeline
Timeline for the show, Hamlet
Estimated Run Time
3 hrs 15 mins
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House Opens
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Act I
105 mins
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Intermission
30 mins
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Act II
60 mins
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Opera Ends
Cast
Select a date from the dropdown to filter cast by date of performance

World premiere: Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Lewes, 2017
Some of the world’s greatest composers have looked to the works of Shakespeare for inspiration, a tradition that continued with the 2017 premiere of Brett Dean’s Hamlet. The Bard’s immortal tragedy is among theater’s most captivating psychological portraits, and the incorporation of music—including tour-de-force vocal writing, imposing choral forces, and a powerful orchestral sweep—only escalates the tension of this classic tale.
Creators
PRODUCTION
Neil Armfield
SCENIC DESIGNER
Ralph Myers
COSTUME DESIGNER
Alice Babidge
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Jon Clark
MOVEMENT DIRECTOR
Denni Sayers
Fight Director
Nicholas Hall

Composer
Brett Dean
Articles
