The Latest: Powder sprinkled at opera possibly human ashes

NEW YORK – The Latest on the cancellation of an opera after someone sprinkled powder into the pit (all times local):

10:30 p.m.

Police say a powdered substance that was sprinkled into the orchestra pit at New York’s Metropolitan Opera may have been an opera lover’s ashes.

New York Police Department Deputy Commissioner John Miller says a man attending Saturday afternoon’s performance of “Guillaume Tell” told witnesses he was there to sprinkle his mentor’s ashes.

Met officials stopped the performance after the man sprinkled the substance into the pit during the second intermission. They also cancelled an evening performance of a different opera.

Miller says the powder will be tested.

Miller says police know who the man is and are reaching out to him.

He says disposing of ashes in an opera house may violate the city health code. But he says police don’t see “any criminal intent here.”

____

7:30 p.m.

New York’s Metropolitan Opera has stopped a performance after someone sprinkled an unknown powder into the orchestra pit.

Met spokesman Sam Neuman says Saturday afternoon’s performance of “Guillaume Tell” was cancelled during the second intermission because of the incident.

A police spokeswoman says the person who sprinkled the powder fled and is being sought.

Police say one person at the opera house requested medical attention. No details on that person’s condition are available.

The Met also cancelled Saturday night’s performance of “L’Italiana in Algeri” because of the investigation.

Neuman says people who had Saturday tickets to either opera can make arrangements with the Met to see a later performance.