Opera in the times of COVID

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

There have been some interesting articles about this so I thought I'd start a new thread.

Interview with Ermonela Jaho in Operawire. https://operawire.com/opera-in-the-t...ermonela-jaho/

Translation of a letter from German music directors and conductors to their government.

https://slippedisc.com/2020/04/just-...m-politicians/

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I think opera houses/concert halls will have to be creative and 'think outside the box' if they're going to keep opera alive. Some of my ideas are: More operas in concert; revert to park 'n' bark; blocking off seats so there's distance between audience members.

Any other ideas?

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

How they're doing it in South Korea.

https://www.onstageblog.com/editoral...m-south-koreas

[Nemorino]

I am impressed with how decisively the ENO decided to start next season with drive-in operas. And the idea is intriguing; not for normal consumption, but for cooped-up families it's something new and unusual. You could even do them in drive-in cinemas and use projected backdrops to make up for the necessary socially-distanced park-and-bark.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

I am impressed with how decisively the ENO decided to start next season with drive-in operas. And the idea is intriguing; not for normal consumption, but for cooped-up families it's something new and unusual. You could even do them in drive-in cinemas and use projected backdrops to make up for the necessary socially-distanced park-and-bark.

That's an excellent idea.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Risk assessment in Germany



https://www.mh-freiburg.de/en/univer...sk-assessment/


Specific hazardous aspects in the field of music
Singers and players of wind instruments – General

... we believe it make sense to expand the distancing rule for singers and wind players. In our opinion, the distance of 1.5-2 meters, which is valid for the general population, should be significantly expanded for music-making with other people by enlarging it to 3-5 meters, in order to reduce the risk of infection. In addition, in very large rooms, such as concert halls, the risk can probably be further reduced by further maximizing the distance and by providing very good ventilation.

Solo voice

During solo singing, a deep inhalation and exhalation occurs during sound production. The extent to which this increases the risk of infection has, to our knowledge, not yet been scientifically investigated. Even if the direct air flow is not strong in vocal phonation and the volume of exhaled air is released over a longer period of time than in resting breathing, it can be assumed that viruses are spread by aerosols during singing. Furthermore, especially during solo singing, spitting particles, i.e. droplets, are expelled when consonants are formed.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

This is a worrying article: NATS Panel of Experts Lays Out Sobering Future for Singers: "No Vaccine, No Safe Public Singing"

So even if you could make it safe for the audience, you can't for the singers. And if there is one thing singers need, it's 100% lung capacity.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

This is a worrying article: NATS Panel of Experts Lays Out Sobering Future for Singers: "No Vaccine, No Safe Public Singing"

So even if you could make it safe for the audience, you can't for the singers. And if there is one thing singers need, it's 100% lung capacity.

Not only that, but concert halls are in trouble too, as social distancing would reduce capacity to less than 20%:

https://www.middleclassartist.com/po...f-our-problems

[MAuer]

The local organization Matinée Musicale has rescheduled Nicole Cabell's concert at Memorial Hall for Sunday, 7 June. As much as I'd like to attend, I think the risk would still be too great. I wouldn't feel safe in a theater, even one (or maybe especially one) as small as that at Memorial Hall.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

The local organization Matinée Musicale has rescheduled Nicole Cabell's concert at Memorial Hall for Sunday, 7 June. As much as I'd like to attend, I think the risk would still be too great. I wouldn't feel safe in a theater, even one (or maybe especially one) as small as that at Memorial Hall.

Yeah, don't go. And they shouldn't hold it on June 7. They should reschedule for later.

[MAuer]

My guess is that it will be cancelled, because Ohio's governor and state health officials have certainly not given the go-ahead for theaters and cinemas to reopen yet.

[Florestan]

Found posted at another site, no link but interesting info:

ROME WILL STAGE OPERAS IN A PARK
By Norman Lebrecht
On May 11, 2020
Carlo Fuortes, head of Opera di Roma, has announced a plan to stage operas in the Piazza di Siena, in the park of Villa Borghese.

The plan has the approval of the mayor’s scientific advisers and the space will accommodate 1,000 distanced spectators.

The first opera will be Rigoletto with Salsi and Grigolo, conducted by Daniele Gatti.

[Nemorino]

This is a worrying article: NATS Panel of Experts Lays Out Sobering Future for Singers: "No Vaccine, No Safe Public Singing"

So even if you could make it safe for the audience, you can't for the singers. And if there is one thing singers need, it's 100% lung capacity.

Yeah, this new report about a choir practice turned "superspreader event" would seem to suggest that singing while infected can really spread this virus around...

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Staatstheater Wiesnbaden Announces Reopening Program Starring René Pape, Günther Groissböck, Annalisa Stroppa. I think this house is heavily subsidised by the German government.

https://operawire.com/staatstheater-...alisa-stroppa/

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Interview with Christine Goerke

https://anchor.fm/tewbop/episodes/Ch...d-Email-ee7uhm

and a thoughtful article by Parterre Box

https://parterre.com/2020/05/19/a-change-of-season

[Florestan]

What will it be like at a performance if the performers are singing through face masks?