Storm shuts London opera houses

Storm shuts London opera houses

News

norman lebrecht

February 18, 2022

The red-weather alert that comes with Storm Eunice has prompted English National Opera to call off tonight’s premiere of Cunning Little Vixen. Covent Garden had previouslyshut down daytime events.

The top of the Millennium Dome has been blown to shreds.

London is catching it.

Here’s the ENO statement:

We’re sorry to announce that due to today’s red weather warning, tonight’s premiere of The Cunning Little Vixen is cancelled. We’re saddened to do this, but the safety of our audiences, staff and performers whilst travelling to and from the London Coliseum is paramount.
Tickets for tonight’s performance can be transferred to any other performance in the run, including the new premiere performance on Sunday 20 February at 3pm.

Comments

  • Anthony Sayer says:

    Ridiculous. We should only close opera houses for genuine catastrophes which pose an existential threat to everyone, such as covid.

    • Maria says:

      It was a total catastrophe in London yesterday with trains cancelled, many of the cast and chorus couldn’t even get there to it thevshow on, and same for audience, and a very dangerous situation. Some lives were lost, and the last time we had such a storm of this magnitude happened was 1987, not last week. Basically you don’t know what you are on about or have even grasped the severity and then the reprocussions. Maybe watch the news!

    • christopher storey says:

      The only thing which is ridiculous is your opinion, Anthony Sayer . This was the worst storm to hit London since 1987 and posed palpable and obvious dangers to life from falling trees, masonry, toppling vehicles etc

    • M McAlpine says:

      I would have thought hurricane force winds might just be thought of in those terms. Especially if a tree falls on your car!

    • True North says:

      Only one thing here is ridiculous, and it isn’t the news story.

  • Rustier spoon says:

    The Millennium Dome an opera house…interesting concept.

  • Freewheeler says:

    Wotta crappy roof.

  • Akutagawa says:

    Given that other concerts went off without a hitch, including a wonderful Rite of Spring by the Budapest Festival Orchestra at the Festival Hall, I strongly suspect that this cancellation was motivated not by poor weather, but by poor ticket sales, and that decanting some of the Friday audience into Sunday is an attempt to make the premiere at least seem reasonably attended.

    • Tone row says:

      … who were all staying in a central London Hotel, not commuting many miles like the ENO performers

      • Akutagawa says:

        ….in which case they should have been honest and said that the performance was cancelled because the trains were up the spout and the performers couldn’t make it in instead of coming up with some pious nonsense about ‘elf and safety. It wasn’t even particularly windy in London from mid-afternoon onwards.

        I also note that you haven’t even attempted to refute my point about lousy ticket sales.

        • christopher storey says:

          People might deign to answer your comments, Akutuagawa, if they weren’t such ill-informed drivel . At London City Airport, it was still gusting to 66 mph at 1450 hrs, 58mph at 1650 , and 46 at 1820.

    • Opera goer says:

      It was virtually impossible to get in or out of London by public transport from anywhere further afield than the tube network yesterday evening. I’m sure that will have affected performers and audience alike.

  • Stweart says:

    Oh dear ! London has had a storm !
    The rest of the country have them regularly but this is London !!!!
    Get over it ! Everyone else is having to.

  • Anthony Sayer says:

    Ha, what a humourless bunch you all are. Get back to fretting ASAP.

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