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Practicalities of re-opening in late Spring 2021 (previously Autumn 2020) - or thereafter?


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And on the other hand, looking through last week's Links, there's this article in The Times:

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/92acb32c-a0ef-11ea-b3fd-83a0d4cc538d?shareToken=0ea0100a68ebbc961a7f23ddea9a2da6

 

"Yes, of course arts organisations need to lobby for hefty government aid. What they also need to do, however, is boost the morale of their performers and give their supporters the chance to see live performances again, albeit online. Floating scare stories about staying closed for another 11 months just depresses everyone."

 

*Would* it be possible to get all performers tested for Covid-19 prior to (probably streaming) a performance in the UK as well?

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3 hours ago, alison said:

And on the other hand, looking through last week's Links, there's this article in The Times:

 

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/92acb32c-a0ef-11ea-b3fd-83a0d4cc538d?shareToken=0ea0100a68ebbc961a7f23ddea9a2da6

 

"Yes, of course arts organisations need to lobby for hefty government aid. What they also need to do, however, is boost the morale of their performers and give their supporters the chance to see live performances again, albeit online. Floating scare stories about staying closed for another 11 months just depresses everyone."

 

*Would* it be possible to get all performers tested for Covid-19 prior to (probably streaming) a performance in the UK as well?

 

The Premier League are testing players twice a week - however the testing is done privately and paid for by the League. Perhaps if the new 20 minute test is rolled out that might help?

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5 hours ago, Jan McNulty said:

I've just had an email from Blackpool Grand Theatre.  It looks like they are assuming they will be able to reopen in September with a number of shows rescheduled from the spring.

 

 I was also surprised to notice today that one can now book tickets for performances scheduled on as early as the 1st of September on the website of London Coliseum:

https://londoncoliseum.org/whats-on/hairspray/

 

But then again on the other side of the pond the Met Opera has just announced the cancellation of all fall performances:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/01/arts/music/metropolitan-opera-cancels-season-virus.html

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4 hours ago, alison said:

*Would* it be possible to get all performers tested for Covid-19 prior to (probably streaming) a performance in the UK as well?

 

Apparently that was exactly what Bolshoi Theatre did back in April: they tested everyone 2 days before a live streamed performance. According to the article, 34 staffers were tested positive and subsequently excluded from the performance, which went ahead. If my memory serves me right Svetlana Zakharova was also featured in that performance.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/04/14/coronavirus-hits-moscows-bolshoi-theater-a69972

 

This perhaps gives some hope that it is not impossible to roll out? 

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8 hours ago, KyleCheng said:

 I was also surprised to notice today that one can now book tickets for performances scheduled on as early as the 1st of September on the website of London Coliseum:

https://londoncoliseum.org/whats-on/hairspray/

 

And with no mention of social distancing etc. (I went as far as the ticket selection page for 1 September.) ??

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A quote of some interest perhaps - certainly not unexpected - in the new edition of The Stage - (Alex Beard was in attendance for the ROH)

 

'Representatives from the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Opera House said neither venue would be able to reopen with social distancing in place.

 

The Royal Albert Hall said it is only able to survive until April next year under current circumstances before it is forced to fold, while the Royal Opera House said it will not last beyond the Autumn with current reserves.

 

Source

 

 

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First of all if the West End are starting to put pressure on the Government for action and to put forward workable alternatives to the 2m social distancing measures, then that can only be a good thing.

 

However there is a danger of Alex Beard making those comments (presumably to add pressure) as (1) how will staff react to comments like that and (2) what would be the point of donating further if the House is likely to close?

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The companies performed at different venues across London during the closure which meant that they retained the audience's interest and support and had a stream of income which covered part of their costs but that is only part of the story. The real difference was that both companies were far less dependent on private money than they are now as their subsidy covered a greater proportion of their costs which made them far less vulnerable than now. In addition the opera company was far more conservative when it came to productions. There were no opera production involving radical revisions of texts or where the action was set ; no creating the operas the directors thought the composer and librettist should have written rather than the one they did with the result that the company had a back catalogue of classic or at least serviceable productions which singers wanted to appear in and audiences wanted to see revived over several seasons. This meant that a large number of the opera productions went into profit and helped pay for productions of operas like Henze's Boulevard Solitude which  the management thought London audience needed to see but were unlikely to be popular successes or finally cover their costs.Such minor details make a great difference to an opera company's bottom line. Finally I seem to recall that the Arts Council stumped up additional money for the redevelopment when it was needed although they did so with bad grace. 

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On 01/06/2020 at 16:40, Jan McNulty said:

I've just had an email from Blackpool Grand Theatre.  It looks like they are assuming they will be able to reopen in September with a number of shows rescheduled from the spring.

 

A friend of mine who volunteers there said the programme  is just provisional dependent on the Government giving the go ahead for theatres to open. If this happens they don't want to have nothing in place. If it doesn't then presumably they will have to cancel. Having said that you seem to be able to book seats already (I clicked on a Father Brown play for the middle of September where people have already booked seats and with no social distancing in place). I'd love to think it would happen but I have doubts.

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54 minutes ago, jmhopton said:

 

A friend of mine who volunteers there said the programme  is just provisional dependent on the Government giving the go ahead for theatres to open. If this happens they don't want to have nothing in place. If it doesn't then presumably they will have to cancel. Having said that you seem to be able to book seats already (I clicked on a Father Brown play for the middle of September where people have already booked seats and with no social distancing in place). I'd love to think it would happen but I have doubts.

 

Me too Joan.  My gut feeling is we will be looking at December at the earliest - if not 2021.  I suppose the next couple of weeks of being slightly unlocked will give us some indication of whether there will be a second spike.

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On 01/06/2020 at 21:16, MJW said:

 

The Premier League are testing players twice a week - however the testing is done privately and paid for by the League. Perhaps if the new 20 minute test is rolled out that might help?

Not just players, but all staff who come into contact with them, including PR staff etc.

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15 hours ago, MJW said:

First of all if the West End are starting to put pressure on the Government for action and to put forward workable alternatives to the 2m social distancing measures, then that can only be a good thing.

 

Something tells me - certainly from the comments of certain MPs today - that they will only get that - well, consider it - once the Divisional (voting) Lobbies have been restored.  That methinks will take some doing yet ... 

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1 hour ago, Bruce Wall said:

 

Something tells me - certainly from the comments of certain MPs today - that they will only get that - well, consider it - once the Divisional (voting) Lobbies have been restored.  That methinks will take some doing yet ... 

 

Division lobbies were used yesterday...

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20 hours ago, bangorballetboy said:


The Royal Opera and the Royal Ballet (and the ROH orchestra) continued to perform in other venues.

 

The idea of using  an outdoor venue  is being  mooted by some as a possibility...(from today's Dance Links) https://www.heraldtribune.com/opinion/20200602/seidman-is-outdoor-stage-answer-to-bringing-back-live-performance

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53 minutes ago, Janite said:

 

Yes, some ideas there.....meanwhile funding £100m a month to support the whole theatre industry doesn't sound that bad when considering the  the sort of money now being allocated  to help people and the general economy. 

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Interesting and lets hope we see some positive action.

 

It would help if the article got its facts right - WHO recommends 1m not 1.5m. Clearly the smaller the distance, the higher the potential capacity. 

 

I still don't understand why we don't seem to be much clearer on the benefits (or otherwise) of face masks in enclosed surroundings. It surely can't be that hard to measure  their effectiveness depending of course on the type of face covering?

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1 hour ago, Richard LH said:

 

Yes, some ideas there.....meanwhile funding £100m a month to support the whole theatre industry doesn't sound that bad when considering the  the sort of money now being allocated  to help people and the general economy. 

 

I'm sure the article in The Stage reported £300m a month but still, relatively speaking, small change.

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The plans sound good, although they do rather assume that everyone who has the virus and is infectious will be running a temperature, which isn't the case - some people with a lower than average body temperature don't actually get up as far as 38°C even with a fever.

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7 hours ago, alison said:

The plans sound good, although they do rather assume that everyone who has the virus and is infectious will be running a temperature, which isn't the case - some people with a lower than average body temperature don't actually get up as far as 38°C even with a fever.

 

Well yes, but I think it's preferable to proceed with sensible and realistic precautions rather than aiming for perfection.

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Dear xxxxxxx

I do hope that you, your families and your friends are well and keeping safe.

I am writing to invite you to our first ever digital Chief Executive live event for Philanthropists, Sponsors and Patrons, on Thursday 11th June 2020 at 12.00pm BST. I will be giving an update on latest news and views from the Royal Opera House as we find our way through the COVID-19 crisis. I will also be joined by Music Director of the Royal Opera House, Sir Antonio Pappano, and Oliver Mears, Director of The Royal Opera, alongside Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet and Koen Kessels Music Director of The Royal Ballet, to share how both Companies have been coping with lockdown, and to discuss first thoughts about returning to the stage ahead of our Live from Covent Garden performances on 13, 20 and 27 June.

 

The event will last for approximately one hour, and will also include a short recital. There will also be plenty of time to ask questions of any of us, and if you would like to send your questions in advance please email xxxxxxxxxxx by Monday 8 June.  

Thank you so very much indeed for staying with us, and I look forward to catching up on the 11th June. Until then, stay safe and well.

With all best wishes,
Alex

Alex Beard CBE
Chief Executive  

 

Edited by capybara
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