In March 2020, the Met made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of its 2019–20 season, due to the escalating COVID-19 pandemic. But rather than leave opera fans wanting for great performances, the company instead began streaming free nightly encore presentations of past Live in HD transmissions online. As part of these efforts to keep opera alive during the closure, the Met also presented an unprecedented live At-Home Gala on April 25. Hosted by General Manager Peter Gelb in New York and Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin in Montreal, the virtual event brought together more than 40 of opera's greatest artists to perform from their homes in 14 countries.