The Who Is on 1st at Met

Rock Opera Rings Bell for 4,000

By Eleanor Kalter

Rock music and opera joined in unlikely union yesterday when the rock opera “Tommy,” written and performed by the Who, was presented at the Metropolitan Opera House.

The two may not have a happy marriage, but it was quite a wedding.

Yesterday, for the first time, the Metropolitan Opera House opened its doors to the English rock group, the Who, for two performances of “Tommy,” a narrative rock opera about the first 21 years in the life of a deaf, dumb and blind boy.

It’ll Never Be Same

As about 4,000 assorted hippies, long-hair types and the curious filed into the grand red-and-gold-colored Met, it was clear that the Met might never be the same.

“This is a major breakthrough,” said Bill Graham, the rock impresario who produced the show, before the matinee performance. “It was really very nice of them to let us in here. I consider it a privilege.”

Tickets, which ran from $2 for standing room to $7.50 for orchestra, were sold out one hour after they were put on sale.

Inside the Met, the event belonged solely to the fans. As Peter Townshend, Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon and John Entwistle, perhaps the wildest performers in rock music, went through their two-hour performance the kids gave them their total attention, alternately clapping, stomping and sitting in rapt adoration.

One girl hung her legs over the second tier and rocked up and down to the music; the kids from New York gave the Who everything they had, including numerous standing ovations.

“This is beautiful, this is beautiful,” Graham said after the performance. “The two worlds are really shaking hands.”