A 30-hour blackout for The Metropolitan Opera, victim of a hacker attack on its website that halted ticket sales at a busy time for theater shows that are recovering from the pandemic-related drop in attendance.
No small loss, as the company handles about $200,000 worth of tickets each day.
Aida and The Hours, two major operas that are always popular with audiences, went on stage with an unusually empty theater, not even last-minute sales at deeply discounted prices helped save the day.
It is currently unclear who is the culprit in the cyber attack, but the FBI, which says it is aware of the situation, has also been involved in the investigation.
Yesterday, visitors trying to access the site were shown a page that read, “Tonight’s show will take place as scheduled. However, we are experiencing network issues impacting our website, box office and call center. Tickets will not be available for tonight’s performance. Thank you for your patience.”
Some have speculated that the sabotage may be due to the fact that the Met has openly supported Ukraine during the Russian invasion, even organizing a concert in support of relief efforts in the country and distancing itself from Anna Netrebko, the Russian soprano who did not comply with the company’s request to openly condemn President Vladimir Putin.
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