As the Metropolitan Opera attempts to cut its labor costs amid stagnant revenue, union leaders have questioned the company's emphasis on investing in new productions, sparking debate about the root cause of its financial woes.

A Wall Street Journal analysis of box-office data shows new productions spearheaded by the Met's general manager Peter Gelb have had mixed success. While they generally sell better than revivals, some performed poorly when brought back to the stage a season or two later.

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