For the opera Mozart’s “Così fan tutte,” at the Metropolitan Opera New York snakes auditioned for an important role in an adaption of a Mozart classic

 

One of the snakes auditioning for the opera

NEW YORK (AP) — Pretty much everyone on stage at the Metropolitan Opera in New York must audition — even the snake who will briefly take center stage in an upcoming adaptation of a Mozart classic.

In charge of deciding who gets the starring reptilian role is Zoe Ziegfeld, a carnival performer-turned-opera actor cast as the snake handler in the Met’s version of “Così fan tutte,” inspired by Coney Island in the 1950s.

Performance artist Zoe Ziegfeld who plays the part of a snake charmer poses for a portrait with a snake during auditions to select a snake for a part in an adaptation of Mozart’s “Così fan tutte,” at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

“I need to know that the animal is comfortable with people and with what we are doing,” Ziegfeld said.

Princess slithers into her big role

In the cold-blooded competition, a boa constrictor named Princess won. She is a larger snake with a better visual presence on stage. “We will be moving forward with Princess (the big sun-glow boa constrictor who is yellow-peach) in rehearsals on a trial basis! She is a wonderful snake, and the trial is not about her, but rather about me and my strength,” Ziegfeld wrote in an email after the auditions were over.

 A snake attends auditions to select a snake for a part in an adaptation of Mozart’s “Così fan tutte,” at thepolitan Opera in New York,

 And( s Kudacki)

 Slightly smaller brown boa constrictor named Nala from a second audition will be Princess’ understudy.

A Mozart opera set at a 1950s Coney Island carnival

This is the third time Ziegfeld has played the role of the snake charmer in the Met’s adaptation of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s 1790 opera.

In Mozart’s original, two Italian soldiers decide to test their lovers’ fidelity by pretending to head off to war. They then disguise themselves and try to seduce each other’s girlfriends. In this version, the plot remains mostly the same, but the setting is a 1950s Coney Island carnival complete with vibrant scenery and sideshow performers.

Carnaval snake charmer turned opera performer

Ziegfeld came to the role honestly. They spent a couple of seasons on Coney Island doing eight snake-charming shows a day.

When they tried out several years ago, live snakes weren’t allowed in the audition space. So instead, Ziegfeld brought video of their snake-charming act, then hammered home their carnival sideshow bona fides by knocking a nail into their own nasal cavity in what was called the Human Blockhead act.

“The music’s different. The money is different. It’s a pleasure to entertain. And with snakes, it’s a delight to know that there are people watching who are in awe and people who are terrified. And those things happen at the Met and at Coney — so I would say they are more alike than different, to be honest,” Ziegfeld said.

Animals are important characters at some Met operas

The snakes came to their audition thanks to Nancy Novograd and her company All Tame Animals.

The dolphin drive hunt in Taiji Japan September 2026 - March 2027 is the cruel capture of 1814 dolphins for the entertainment industry, or killed for consumption

 

A large pod of bottlenose dolphins was driven from the open ocean into the Cove on the first day of the 2026 dolphin drive hunt in Taiji, Japan, marking a devastating start to another season in which wild dolphins face slaughter or captivity for entertainment.

According to Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project, nine species of dolphins are included on this season’s quota list, with up to 1,814 dolphins allowed to be taken for slaughter or captivity.

https://www.dolphinproject.org/campaigns/save-japan-dolphins/statisticaldata/   More statistics

Dolphin Project reported: “11 dolphins had their freedom stolen while the remaining pod members were held overnight.”

The organization also highlighted the disturbing connection between the Taiji hunts and the global captive dolphin industry, stating:

“Due to their popularity at marine parks and the global demand for captive dolphins, these dolphins are extremely valuable.”

Alexandra, who has worked alongside Dolphin Project to document the Taiji dolphin drive hunts, also emphasized how demand for captive dolphins helps fuel the hunts, writing:

“Our goal is to help break the cycle of supply and demand for captive dolphins. By reducing the demand for dolphins taken from the wild, we can impact the financial incentive that helps drive these hunts.”

In Taiji, wild dolphins are pursued by boats and driven toward the coastline, where they are confined inside the infamous Cove. Some dolphins are selected and taken alive for captivity, separating them from their pods and taking away their freedom, while others are slaughtered for their meat.

The capture of bottlenose dolphins at the start of another hunting season is a devastating reminder of how the captive dolphin industry continues to tear these highly intelligent and social animals away from their ocean homes.

Dolphin Project is urging the public not to support facilities that keep dolphins in captivity, stating:

“End the demand, end the supply. Don’t buy a ticket to any facility with captive dolphins.”

Alexandra also reinforced why documenting what happens in Taiji and keeping international attention focused on the hunts remains critical:

“Continuing to document these hunts, share the reality of what happens in the Cove, and keep Taiji in the global conversation and media is essential to maintaining pressure for change.”

Animal advocates in Japan and around the world continue to call for an end to the Taiji dolphin drive hunts and the capture of wild dolphins for the captive entertainment industry.

World Animal News and Peace 4 Animals are calling for continued international pressure on the Japanese government to end these cruel hunts once and for all and protect dolphins from being killed or stolen from the wild.

These highly intelligent and social animals belong wild and free in the ocean with their families — not torn from their pods, killed, or confined for human entertainment.

Sea Shepherd: How is this still legal? Massive trawlers from 6 countries dragging nets large enough to swallow a jumbo jet, are stealing the food for whales, seals, and penguins

 

For three years in a row, our crew has witnessed the damage caused by krill #supertrawlers in Antarctica. What should be some of the most intact waters on Earth are being turned into an industrial production line.

These vessels operate as floating factories. They vacuum up krill, process it onboard, and turn it into products that feed a destructive global market. The consequences for #marinelife are severe and they are unfolding right in front of us.

This cannot continue

Watch our video on YouTube to see what is happening and join the fight to #StopThePlunder. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-qTpOi4HwM

Later this month, we are returning to #Antarctica. Once again, we will document what is being ignored and keep sounding the alarm until real protection is in place.

We are also preparing something new to fully immerse you in this campaign. From the crew perspective to Antarctica itself. Stay close by subscribing to our newsletter and turn on your notifications
https://seashe.ph/antarctica

seashepherd australia

 

🚨Launching January 2026: Operation Antarctic Defence. 🚨

We thought the whales of the Southern Ocean were safe. We were wrong. 😓

Fourteen massive supertrawlers from six countries are working between the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Orkney Islands - competing directly with fin and humpback whales for krill, their primary food source.


Despite the availability of plant-based alternatives, krill is being stripped from Antarctic waters to produce Omega-3 supplements, farmed salmon feed, and even pet food.

When we returned to Antarctica where our crew witnessed supertrawlers plowing straight through a pod of over 200 whales actively feeding on krill.

The images we captured spread across the globe, sparking outrage and renewed calls to shut this industry down.

“Supertrawlers dragging nets large enough to swallow a jumbo jet are taking the food of whales, seals, and penguins from one of the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems — so it can be fed to dogs and cats at home,” — Peter Hammarstedt, Director of Campaigns, Sea Shepherd Global.

Sea Shepherd has stopped illegal whaling and dismantled criminal fishing operations in the Southern Ocean before. But this threat is different. The krill fishery is technically legal - lightly regulated, poorly protected, and expanding fast.

To protect Antarctic whales, we must change the laws, strengthen regional protections, and shift market demand. When whales are under threat - Sea Shepherd will be there, and that's why we are returning this January.


👉 Stay up to date with Operation Antarctic Defence by subscribing to our email newsletters via the link in bio.

📷: Youenn Kerdavid / Flavio Gasperini / Sea Shepherd

Photo: Scorpion Reef

This August, the M/V Sharkwater is at Scorpion Reef. Sea Shepherd has always been most effective when we put ourselves where change needs to happen, and on the water that means ships, crews and a persistent presence in places where wildlife and protected areas are under pressure.

Together the corridor covers over 6,300 square miles of protected ocean in the Gulf of Mexico — two parks, two ships, one permanent mission.

What Threatens It

Latest from the OperationJanuary 2026: 1,543 lbs of illegal catch seized at Scorpion Reef

One vessel intercepted. 700 kg of illegally caught fish seized. Vessel detained for permanent seizure by Mexican authorities.

See all updates ↓

🦑

Industrial Scale Poaching

Poachers strip spawning aggregations of queen conch, squid, octopus, grouper, amberjack, and snapper before enforcement can reach them. Remoteness is their greatest advantage.

🕸️

Ghost Nets and Abandoned Gear

Discarded nets strangle coral colonies and ensnare everything from lobsters to green sea turtles, catching indiscriminately long after the boats that set them are gone.

🐢

Pressure on Nesting Grounds

Sea turtle nesting and breeding is disrupted by illegal access, boat traffic, and gear entanglement during critical reproductive periods.

⚓

Illegal Recreational Access

Vessels without permits cause anchor damage, spear fishing, and line fishing inside sanctuary boundaries. Routine battles for our crews.