Multiple outlets report that snakes audition at New York’s Metropolitan Opera for a role in Mozart’s “Così fan tutte.” Photos and accounts describe a staged audition where performer Zoe Ziegfeld assesses the animals’ comfort on stage before casting decisions are finalized.
Both sources say a boa constrictor named Princess ultimately wins the part. They also note that an understudy, Nala, is selected in case Princess cannot perform. The coverage frames the auditions as part of the opera’s practical preparations, focusing on how handlers and performers test the snakes’ stage readiness.
While the specific details are limited, the outlets converge on the core points: the Metropolitan Opera holds auditions involving live snakes, the audition process includes an on-stage comfort test, and the casting results are Princess for the role and Nala as understudy.
