{
  "id": 5711480,
  "title": "Even snakes have to audition for the opera at the Met. Princess the boa constrictor got the part",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/even-snakes-have-to-audition-for-the-opera-at-the-met-princess-the",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-05T04:11:24.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/2026/09/04/even-snakes-have-to-audition-for-the-opera-at-the-met-princess-the-boa-constrictor-got-the-part"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "At the Metropolitan Opera in New York, every performer must audition, including a snake named Princess. Princess, a boa constrictor, has been chosen to play the starring role in an upcoming adaptation of Mozart's \"Così fan tutte.\" Zoe Ziegfeld, a carnival performer-turned-opera actor, is responsible for evaluating the snakes to ensure they are comfortable with the performance. Ziegfeld takes each snake, allows it to slither and wrap around her, and rehearses their movements under the bright lights. Princess was selected for her larger size and better visual presence on stage. The Met's adaptation of the 1950s Coney Island carnival will feature Princess as the snake handler, with a brown boa constrictor named Nala as her understudy.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Princess, a boa constrictor, auditions for Met's Così fan tutte",
    "Zoe Ziegfeld evaluates snakes for stage comfort and performance",
    "Princess selected for starring role, Nala as understudy"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The Metropolitan Opera's inclusion of a snake in a starring role marks a departure from traditional casting, highlighting the creative lengths producers will go to bring a unique story to life.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "Even snakes have to audition for the opera at the Met. Princess the boa constrictor got the part",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/even-snakes-have-to-audition-for-the-opera-at-the-met-princess-the-5716204",
        "published": "2026-09-05T04:23:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}