Lincoln in the Bardo takes place in the bardo, a transitional plane between death and rebirth populated by spirits who resist accepting their fate. The story centers on 11-year-old Willie, the recently deceased son of Abraham Lincoln, whose father's grief-stricken visits to his tomb keep Willie's spirit tethered to the bardo rather than allowing him to move on. A community of bardo residents bands together to help free Willie, navigating the boundary between the living world and what comes after.

The opera is composed by Missy Mazzoli, with a libretto by Royce Vavrek, based on George Saunders' Booker Prize-winning novel. The production is conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin and directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz, with an ensemble cast led by Peter Mattei as Lincoln, alongside Christine Goerke, Stephanie Blythe, and Anthony Roth Costanzo as residents of the bardo. The opera arrives at the Metropolitan Opera as part of the Met's programming marking the nation's 250th anniversary.