Ontario’s performing arts organizations have been spending the week either cancelling or postponing scheduled concert events since the province announced a return to a modified stage two through January 25, 2022.
For those with events landing beyond Jan. 26, they are left to play a guessing game.
The COC has confirmed they are currently assessing the full impact of the Province’s time-limited measures. Staying shy of postponing events, the COC has arrested all future ticket sales. Ticket sales will resume after they have a better idea of the status of capacity limits and health and safety policies beyond January 2022.
The stakes rise
The Canadian Opera Company’s revival production of Madama Butterfly is currently scheduled to open in a few weeks on February 4, and La Traviata on April 23. The former production was helmed by Canadian director Aria Umezawa in a COC debut.
This has the makings of a deepening crisis for the COC, which has not produced an in-person opera since early 2020. The impact of the pandemic has been particularly severe for Canada’s largest opera company.
Opera productions require millions of investment dollars to cover the extensive production costs from the set and costume design to artist rehearsal fees leading up to multi-day runs required to partially recoup the costs.
Like the permanent closure of Come From Away that left Toronto’s theatre patrons disappointed, the COC may be in the same situation unless restrictions are lifted soon.
We will update the story as soon as new details emerge.
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