Just in: Some countries are cancelling into the summer

Just in: Some countries are cancelling into the summer

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norman lebrecht

March 13, 2020

Finland has cancelled all public events of over 500 people until end of May.

The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra will continue to play, but to empty halls and with guest soloists replaced by locals. Alisa Weilerstein, for instance, makes way for Pekka Kuusisto.

 

Comments

  • Karl says:

    I see no sense in playing to an empty hall.

  • Bill says:

    Summer starts June 20 in the Northern hemisphere. Doing something until the end of May is not doing it into summer.

    • Saxon Broken says:

      You are wrong when you claim “summer starts June 20th”. Summer starts when Spring ends, which is when the leaves are fully out on the trees. This will differ from place-to-place, but typically happens around the end of May in Finland.

  • monsoon says:

    Summer stats on June 20 in the northern hemisphere.

  • Given that the arc of infection has nowhere reached its highest point it is probably safer to assume that nothing will go ahead as planned well past the summer.

    People making plans to attend events might wonder whether they will go ahead and if they do will they be secure from infection. Those of us who have already made plans might be wise to see the extent of our exposure to costs already incurred, the cost of tickets being only one small part of cultural excursions.

    Seems likely that on both sides of the footlights we are in for much disappointment which is better than taking a chance in what at the present time is largely unknowable.

    • V.Lind says:

      Yet the ROH remains open, to get through all its Fidelios.

      Looks bad. Even the most rapacious orchestra in Canada closed this morning (till April 5 — in their dreams). Even gold, the most rapacious of sports, has cancelled in the US — finally.

      Anyone who thinks life will be back to normal in 2 weeks is delusional.

    • K says:

      I see nothing cynical in your comments. To the contrary, there is something cynical in thinking, as has been mentioned, that we will be back to anything resembling normalcy, in two months, let alone two weeks. Even if the curve infection were to flatten in the US, we’re still looking look at a significant percentage of the population being exposed if not symptomatic. Discretionary spending of time would certainly not be directed towards concert attendance. And if things get bad enough, we would have to ask if we want to put musicians, for instance, at risk, to assemble and put on audience-less performances.

  • Geoffrey Mogridge says:

    Tomorrow evening, I shall be attending the Academy of Ancient Music’s concert in Leeds Town Hall. The UK Government’s response is thankfully more proportionate.

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