The Met Opera on Rush Tickets

The Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center seats close to four thousand people under its starburst chandeliers, and a night there is one of the great New York experiences. Its rush program puts that within reach: the Met's published rules offer a single ticket or a pair to selected performances at $25 each, sold only online through the Met's website and app. Seats are assigned by the Met and can be anywhere in the house, which is part of the gamble.

Log in to your Met account before the sale opens, check the rush page for which performances are included, and follow the timing and method stated there, since the Met has used both first-come sales and lotteries. You can only buy rush for one performance every seven days. Dress as you like; plenty of people come straight from work. Arrive early enough to watch the chandeliers rise as the house lights go down.