Virginia Opera has canceled stage productions planned for its current season due to ongoing concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our dedication to following the necessary guidelines to ensure the safety of our patrons and artists overwhelms our immense desire to perform,” Kriha Dye, Virginia Opera’s president and CEO, said in announcing the cancellation, adding that the company plans to “stay connected to the communities we serve, digitally in the schools, virtually for everyone, and in safe environments.”
“We now turn to providing new opportunities for much-needed work in our industry,” said Adam Turner, Virginia Opera’s artistic director. “This includes building on the success of our fall artist ‘Stayin’ Alive’ residency, with a second initiative geared towards providing more outdoor performances and digital content beginning in spring 2021. We were able to reach a whole new audience this fall by taking opera out of the Opera House and to the streets.”
Turner announced in an e-mail that an unidentified donor will match donations up to $100,000 to support the company, The Virginian-Pilot’s Amy Poulter reports.
The company is contacting season ticket-holders, offering options including refunds, conversion to subscriptions for the 2021-22 season and conversion of the value of tickets to donations.
For more information, call (866) 673-7282 or visit http://vaopera.org
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