The Raumann Opera Atlas
September 24–28, 2026

New York → Philadelphia

Four nights, two cities, and a perfectly sensible amount of opera. Built for unhurried travel, good meals, and getting Dad back to the Met.

The headline
Saturday at the Met

Macbeth at 1:00 PM, then Così fan tutte at 8:00 PM. The day’s centre of gravity.

See the Met plan
Base camp

New York, with room to breathe.

The Courtyard Midtown East is the sensible headquarters: lift, front desk, two queens, a sofabed, and no need to prove anything to a staircase.

Thu 24 – Sun 27

Courtyard Midtown East

Junior Queen Suite · two queens + sofabed
866 Third Avenue, New York

Open hotel map ↗

After Newark: Uber, light supper nearby, then a dignified retreat. Melanie arrives from Las Vegas; details still to be added.

The plan

One clear day at a time.

Times are local. Every address is a map link; every day leaves enough space for chairs, cabs, and common sense.

Thursday24September

Arrival, no heroics

Newark → Midtown East

  • ~8:00 PM
    UA 274 lands at NewarkMarty & Dad. Uber to the hotel, roughly 40 minutes. Request United wheelchair/cart help in advance.
  • Evening
    Melanie arrivesLas Vegas → New York. Flight details pending; meet at the hotel.
Friday25September

Tradition, then town

Upper West Side → Lower Manhattan

  • Late AM
    Brunch at Barney Greengrass541 Amsterdam Ave ↗ · Marty & Dad’s tradition. Walk-in; cash is wisest.
  • Afternoon
    Open city timePlans may be added. The calendar has not been conquered by a committee.
  • 8:00 PM
    Dinner at Delmonico’s56 Beaver Street ↗ · booked · smart casual.
Saturday26September

The Met. The whole point.

Lincoln Center, with an interval substantial enough to be civilised.

  • 1:00 PM
    Macbeth matineeMetropolitan Opera · curtain and exact running time to confirm.
  • ~4:30 PM
    Early dinner and proper restNear Lincoln Center. No stairs; no unnecessary marches.
  • 8:00 PM
    Così fan tutteEvening performance · curtain and exact running time to confirm.

See the Met companion for the plots, listening notes, and the operational plan.

Sunday27September

Train to Philadelphia

Moynihan → Independence Mall

  • 10:15 AM
    Leave hotel for MoynihanUber; request a Red Cap to the platform ahead of the crowd.
  • 11:20 AM
    Acela 2255Business Class to Philadelphia 30th Street, arriving ~12:30 PM. Red Cap again at the far end.
  • ~1:15 PM
    Liberty Bell526 Market Street ↗ · close to the hotel.
  • 4:00 PM
    Independence HallTimed tour; arrive at security by 3:30 PM.
  • Evening
    Dinner at City Tavern138 S 2nd St ↗ · reserve and confirm access.
Monday28September

History, lunch, home

Philadelphia → SFO

  • Morning
    Museum of the American Revolution101 S 3rd Street ↗.
  • 1:30 PM
    Late checkout, Reading Terminal MarketCheckout requested; lunch, then bags and airport.
  • 6:20 PM
    UA 1575 to San FranciscoPhiladelphia → SFO · request United wheelchair/cart help.
Three places worth the journey

Small rituals. Big landmarks.

A few visual waypoints for the moments that deserve more than a line item—and one frank reminder that smoked fish requires no mood lighting.

Friday brunch · Upper West Side

Barney Greengrass

Smoked fish, eggs, and the Marty & Dad tradition. The sort of place that has already decided it does not need to impress anyone.

541 Amsterdam Ave ↗ · walk-in · cash is safest

Friday dinner · 8:00 PM

Delmonico’s

Historic Financial District supper at 56 Beaver Street. Old New York, white tablecloths, and no apparent enthusiasm for trainers.

Open the map ↗

Photo from Delmonico’s official site.

Sunday · 4:00 PM

Independence Hall

The room where the Declaration and Constitution were signed. Arrive at screening by 3:30 PM; history is punctual about these things.

Open timed tickets ↗

NPS photo.

A proper double bill

Saturday at the Met

Verdi’s murderously ambitious Scot in the afternoon; Mozart’s emotional chess match in the evening. The only real scheduling question is dinner. Naturally, it is the important one.

Open Met companion
1:00 PMMacbethVerdi · matinee
8:00 PMCosì fan tutteMozart · evening
The longer story

With Dad, across the map.

Twenty-nine performances. Fourteen cities. A great many excellent evenings, and a few that were probably even better after dinner.

Opera Atlas with Dad

From the Met to La Scala, Covent Garden to the Semperoper: a place-led memory lane for the trips that brought this one here.

Open the atlas
2008–201929 evenings
14 citiesNew York · Milan · Chicago · Dresden · London · Venice · and beyond