NYT: Coming to the Metropolitan Opera: Sting and "The Last Ship"

[MezzA101]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 8:45am

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/arts/music/sting-the-last-ship-met-opera.html?unlocked_article_code=1.008.MgJ-.pMC8qTQHjrWh&smid=nytcore-android-share

[Zeppie2022]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 9:02am

My wife and I saw the show years ago and liked it. Loved the music and we were at one of the shows Sting was in. This was not a commercial show in the slightest, so we were not surprised it did not have a long run.

Thanks to OP for getting the NYT article unlocked, really appreciate when posters can do that for this board.

It will be interesting to see the changes and the new songs, wish him success.

[macbeth]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 9:44am

Also love the score and excited to see it again. 

[dexter3]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 9:45am

I know I'm being terrible here, but....so now the Met is doing star casting? Yikes.

[raddersons]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 9:46am

Sting will never let this thing go, huh?

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 10:25am

dexter3 said: "I know I'm being terrible here, but....so now the Met is doing star casting? Yikes."

This is not a standard Met production as it comes after the close of the season.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 1:27pm

dexter3 said: "I know I'm being terrible here, but....so now the Met is doing star casting? Yikes."

Of course Sting is "star casting".  So were Pavarotti, Callas, Caruso, Beverly Sills, Marilyn Horne, Anna Netrebko, etc etc.

 

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 1:30pm

dexter3 said: "I know I'm being terrible here, but....so now the Met is doing star casting? Yikes."
 

What a weirdly ignorant thing to say! 

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 1:54pm

I never really understood why this show didn't get a better response when it was on Broadway. I loved it then, and so happy there's a chance to see it onstage again.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 2:36pm

I adored this show and saw it 5x on Broadway. SO excited to see it again. Nabbed a ticket for the Weds matinee.

[Call_me_jorge]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 2:54pm

I remember seeing the very first performance of its Chicago tryout and enjoying myself. I was especially enthralled by Rachel Tuckers performance. I’ve often wondered why they didn’t premiere this in the UK, I feel like it would’ve had a much longer life in the West End. Starting off in the US/Broadway didn’t really make much sense to me.

[Melissa25]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 3:01pm

Call_me_jorge: I remember seeing the very first performance of its Chicago tryout and enjoying myself. I was especially enthralled by Rachel Tuckers performance. I’ve often wondered why they didn’t premiere this in the UK, I feel like it would’ve had a much longer life in the West End. Starting off in the US/Broadway didn’t really make much sense to me.

I loved Rachel too. I have very fond memories especially of If You Ever See Me Talking to a Sailor. 

Updated On: 11/13/25 at 03:01 PM

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 3:07pm

Melissa25 said: “I loved Rachel too. I have very fond memories especially of If You Ever See Me Talking to a Sailor."

Oh, that whole scene was a HOOT. I still listen to that song.

This was one of the first shows I saw in my nascent theatregoing days of my late teens and one of the first that truly affected me in a way I didn’t quite understand at the time because I always felt that musicals were inherently cheery and this one is decidedly not. But watching it, and with Sting in the cast, was actually a pretty cool moment.

To the poster who said “he’s never letting this go”, shove off. Considering he is now in his 70s, he’s probably determined to make sure that this show is as good as he feels he can make it before he is no longer here to work on it. You wouldn’t say that about Sondheim and any number of his shows - particularly MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 3:19pm

Has there been any word if any of the other roles will be played by "Broadway folk"?  Hopefully from the OBC?  Or does the company that's been doing the show internationally travel along with it?  Would LOVE to see Rachel Tucker, Michael Esper, Colin Sordelet, Sally Ann Triplett and ESPECIALLY Aaron Lazar.

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 3:30pm

Declan Bennett is playing Gideon if that counts.

Notwithstanding the fact his role has been written out of the show in recent productions, with regards to Lazar, his ALS seems to have progressed to him being fully wheelchair bound. Although there was a time he mentioned that it had slowed, a LOT can change in 8 months - seldom good (if Rebecca Luker’s tragic case is any comparison). I’m sure he will appear if he is able, but I can’t see him participating.

Updated On: 11/13/25 at 03:30 PM

[JSquared2]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 3:45pm

quizking101 said: "Declan Bennett is playing Gideon if that counts.

Notwithstanding the fact his role has been written out of the show in recent productions, with regards to Lazar, his ALS seems to have progressed to him being fully wheelchair bound. Although there was a time he mentioned that it had slowed, a LOT can change in 8 months - seldom good (if Rebecca Luker’s tragic case is any comparison). I’m sure he will appear if he is able, but I can’t see him participating."

 

Yes, I know about Aaron's health -- and while he is now wheelchair bound, he is still doing acting jobs (he just finished a guest starring role on fellow ALS survivor Eric Dane's TV series COUNTDOWN (now streaming on Amazon) and he hosts an amazing podcast (required viewing!).  Aaron can still sing, and while no one can predict how this horrible disease will progress over the next 7 months, God willing he'll be there next June!

PS.  Great news about Declan!

 

[inception]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 4:42pm

quizking101 said: "You wouldn’t say that about Sondheim and any number of his shows - particularly MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG."

I would.  😛

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 9:55pm

I loved the score and cast on Broadway, and I admire Sting's commitment to telling this story, but it felt like a show that was too big for the Neil Simon Theatre. It's a chamber-sized story that needed the Menier or NYTW.

And now it'll be in a venue more than twice the size as the Simon...

[two ladies tickets]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 10:55pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said: "I loved the score and cast on Broadway, and I admire Sting's commitment to telling this story,but it felt like a show that was too big for the Neil Simon Theatre. It's achamber-sized story that needed the Menier or NYTW.

And now it'll be in a venue more than twice the size as the Simon..."

I figured they wouldn't have all the levels open for this, maybe close off the top 2 but the entire house is on sale. All 3,800 seats. It's only 9 shows but as said above if it couldn't fill the Simon with a capacity of 1445......

 

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 11:41pm

I wonder if they'll be using the Broadway book or the slightly revised version that the show toured the UK with.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 11/14/25 at 12:41am

g.d.e.l.g.i. said: "I wonder if they'll be using the Broadway book or the slightly revised version that the show toured the UK with."

The book credit reminds me of ANYTHING GOES...but at least that one had a few decades between revisions!

• New Book by Barney Norris
• from a book by Lorne Campbell
• based on an original book by John Logan & Brian Yorkey

And iirc, Yorkey and Logan were not collaborating to begin with, Logan took over.

Updated On: 11/14/25 at 12:41 AM