Just wondering if other schools or universities have started opening up the performances to audiences? My D is an Opera major at SUNY Purchase. Last year she had in person classes but no in person performances. The Opera was recorded and performed on video in masks. Last night the current Seniors had their Junior Recitals in front of a small masked audience - students, faculty and parents. The fall Opera will be open to a small audience (vacccinated and masked). I am curious if other programs are also slowing opening up.
1 Like
I’m sure the situation is dependent on the Covid containment at each institution. At Princeton where my son’s a violinist in the Symphony Orchestra, they just recently completed their first full in-person (still masks were required and with a proof of vaccination), sold out concert. My son’s also involved in two other ensembles, and they too are fully activated. The campus undergoes a weekly Covid tests with 0.02% positivity rate.
4 Likes
Hs here. Full performances with no mask requirements.
Our family have all had covid and are fully vaxed.
IU Jacobs is back with audiences - full opera schedule. This fall, principles were unmasked, chorus was masked. Sold out audiences. Presume the same will be true in the spring. Also there are audiences for recitals, concerts, masterclasses etc…
1 Like
The UC I am familiar with closed the music building entirely last year… It has opened up for musicians, limited number at a time, masked. Performances are streamed and/or recorded. We are waiting to hear if concert audiences (including parents) will be allowed soon.
I think having an audience is probably safest at small schools. Testing certainly helps too.
The music performance center where I live has full audiences, who are required to be vaccinated or tested, and masked.
1 Like
I suspect, as @tiggerdaddy says, there will be a lot of variation. In my area, professional theaters and concert halls are requiring proof of vaccine and masked audience. Local university requires masks from audience - no vaccine status check. No idea if performers are masked or not, haven’t been to a local concert since last summer when numbers were low with no masks.
In a different area of the country, our orchestra professional (string player) performs with mask. Wind players unmasked. All had to upload proof of vaccine before being placed on the season’s roster. Audience members required to show proof of vaccine or negative Covid test and wear masks.
My son is at Eastman. Most of the performances at Eastman allow live audiences.
1 Like
North Texas doesn’t require but strongly recommends masks for both performers and audiences. Nearly all are wearing them.
1 Like
Not school related but still a hopeful update. We just returned my D’s first opera performance in nearly two years at a regional opera house. The orchestra and conductor wore masks. The first few rows of seats where left open. The audience had to wear masks. And the audience sat in groups with a few seats open between each couple or family group. The prinicpal singers and chorus did not wear masks.
My D was in the area for 3 weeks for rehearsals. Masks were off and on for singers in the rehearsal room. All musicians were given COVID tests weekly. No one tested positive. Whew.
One positive note is that they were able to get a soprano who has sang at the Met and usually sings only in Europe at some of the best houses. Due to COVID, she had some free time on her calendar. She had participated in an online production last year (which my D did as well as this regional opera house - they were little vignettes from smaller opera companies across the US). So that provided a connection. She also spoke about never performing in Chicago (her home town) or the midwest…and enjoying the new connections/grass-roots opportunities. She was “stellar”. I have never been in the presence of such a vocalist (and I’ve seen some pretty good ones). It was such a treat for my D, the regional opera house and the community.
I would guess that schools will continue to open as the professional world does too…as long as we don’t have another big surge… Fingers crossed for all.
4 Likes
Temple has live audiences again. Masks in the audience and musicians if possible - even though all students are vaccinated. Amazing to see live music again - flew across country TWICE just to see kid play live. Conductor almost broke down in tears seeing people in the audience and she selected amazing music for us to listen to.
3 Likes
Northwestern is having live audiences again. Masks in the audience and vaccines required or proof of a negative pcr test.
2 Likes