A spokesman for the Met seemed to confirm that the appointment was likely, telling the Post that reports about Hunter are "rumors‹plausible rumors‹but rumors at this stage of the game."

Hunter is a director of the Gramma Fisher Foundation, founded by her father, an executive at the family company Fisher Controls. She served as president of the Washington National Opera board in the 1970s and '80s, and through the Fisher Foundation has sponsored several productions at the company.

A Washington Opera board member described her as "nobody's fool."