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Sen. Schumer’s night at the Met Opera: Booed by Mamdani supporters
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Sep 23, 2025
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Rhododendrites via Wikimedia Commons
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Sep 23, 2025
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They used to say the opera was as much about being seen as the thing you’re seeing.
Sen. Chuck Schumer found that out the hard way on Sunday when he was booed for not yet endorsing Zohran Mamdani, who won the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City in June.
Some members of the black-tie crowd at the Met Opera's opening night of “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay” let the Senate minority leader know they’d run out of patience with his ongoing indecision over the rising political star. When Schumer briefly took the stage, he was met with chants of “Endorse!” and “Mamdani!”
“They were loud,“ said Scooter Alpert, a 60-year-old Upper West Side resident who sat in the orchestra section. “And yeah, I am pretty sure he heard it. For good and bad, the acoustics in that place are pretty top notch!”
“I have never seen or heard the audience at the Met go so wild over anything,” he added. “It is the most prim and proper crowd I’ve been in.”
The episode was a sharp reminder of the pressure facing Schumer, whose approval rating has fallen to a 20-year-low, according to a recent Siena poll. Some see the 74-year-old senator as standing in the way of generational change and not responding forcefully enough to President Donald Trump.
The protracted will-he, won’t-he over Mamdani, a 33-year old democratic socialist state assemblymember from Queens, is a high-profile example of the Democratic Party’s identity crisis following the Republicans' clean sweep in the 2024 election. Schumer’s decision to keep Mamdani at arm’s length has exacerbated frustration among many Democrats who see a popular candidate winning over voters, while establishment leaders like Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries barely speak Mamdani’s name.
Reached for comment, Schumer’s office downplayed the incident at the opera.
“Hearing many things from crowds is a tale as old as time in politics,” said Angelo Roefaro, a spokesperson for Schumer. “Chuck loves the people.”
The New York Times last week reported Schumer’s reluctance to endorse Mamdani stems from concerns it would hinder Democrats’ efforts to win back the Senate, as well as Schumer's deep ties to Jewish voters and donors. Mamdani has been a vocal supporter of Palestinian statehood and has sharply criticized Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.
But the vocal Mamdani supporters at the Met Opera suggest the candidate has won over some of the city’s elite. A recent New York Times analysis found that Mamdani did well in wealthier districts – including Park Slope, Williamsburg and the Financial District – where the median age was 45 or under.
“Nothing is more New York than rich New Yorkers yelling at Chuck Schumer at the Met to support Zohran,” said Chris Coffey, a Democratic strategist. “But New Yorkers aren’t a monolith. There are rich New Yorkers who love Mamdani and less affluent New Yorkers who like Cuomo. And one thing most New Yorkers have in common is they aren’t shy.”
Thomas Hobohm, who was sitting in the upper level, said Schumer simply ignored the boos.
“He didn’t acknowledge it,” he said. “Some people started clapping to drown it out.”
For his part, the 24-year-old software engineer was more critical about the production itself.
“People like me care about opera as an avant-garde art form,” Hobohm said. “They are tired of new operas that are super boring. They want things that are interesting and challenging.”
Tagged
Politics
new york city
opera
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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