Update 11:49 pm Saturday: NBC News Channel 4 is reporting that the powder substance spread into the Metropolitan Opera's orchestra pit, which halted the performance of Guillaume Tell during its second intermission on Saturday, may have been the ashes of an opera lover and that police now know the identity of the man who spread the powder-like substance and are trying to reach him.
On Saturday a performance of Guillaume Tell at the Metropolitan Opera was interrupted when an unidentified person sprinkled some sort of powder into the orchestra pit. The NYPD is investigating the incident. It was reported that a spokesperson for the NYPD said the person fled the scene.
The Met, through its Facebook page, posted the following:
The Met has since updated its Facebook post to say that this evening’s performance of L’Italiana in Algeri was also cancelled while the authorities investigate the incident.
WQXR staff member Kathleen Drohan was at the performance and described the experience in the hall during the second intermission.
"I was sitting about six rows back from the orchestra pit, and soon uniform guards came and stood on each side of the pit. Some people in the audience began a slow clap, I think to encourage the show to begin again. After several minutes, the spokesperson came out again to assure us that everyone backstage was ok, but they had to end the show," said Drohan.
"As we left, there were several police cars lined up in front of Lincoln Center Plaza. That's when we got concerned," she added. "It wasn't until much later and via social media that I learned what happened."
The mayor's press secretary Eric Phillips tweeted that the mayor has been briefed and that there was no immediate danger or injuries.
@NYCMayor was just briefed by @NYPDONeill on the situation at @MetOpera tonight. No immediate danger / no injuries.
— Eric Phillips (@EricFPhillips) October 29, 2016