This is good to know, Mr. Gelb

 Throughout its distinguished 129-year history,
the Met has never dedicated a single performance
to a political or social cause,
no matter how important or just.

— Peter Gelb, general manager of New York City's Metropolitan Opera, responding at Bloomberg to a request by Queer Nation NY to dedicate tonight's performance of Eugene Onegin, by gay Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky, to LGBT people in Russia. Russian conductor Valery Gergiev and  soprano Anna Netrebko, participating in the Met's opening gala, were described by Queer Nation as “longtime and vocal supporters of Vladimir Putin.”

Interior, Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center, New York City (Photo: Boss Tweed, Flickr)