Utah Symphony & Utah Opera Suspend Performances Through May 23

Utah Symphony | Utah Opera today announced the suspension of performances through May 23, 2020 in response to the state's increased COVID-19 precautions for social distancing and Salt Lake County Arts and Culture's announcement that performing arts venues will be closed through May 15, 2020.

"We are deeply saddened to cancel live symphony and opera performances but want to assure everyone that this cancellation is temporary and we will be back! We hope to resume performing this summer with free community concerts, the Deer Valley Music Festival in Park City, and certainly later this fall," said Utah Symphony | Utah Opera interim President and CEO Patricia A. Richards. "As stewards of the arts, Utah Symphony | Utah Opera places priority on the safety and wellbeing of everyone in our community. We are heartbroken to cancel live performances, and continue to harness the incredible healing power of music to connect communities across Utah."

USUO continues to connect communities to the uplifting power of music through social media channels and the website, with audio streaming, curated playlists, performance clips and Ghost Light podcasts available in the "Listening Room" for Utah Symphony (https://utahsymphony.org/explore/playlists/listening-room/) and Utah Opera (https://utahopera.org/explore/playlists/listening-room/).

Educational resources including instructional videos and teaching lessons are available online at utahsymphony.org and utahopera.org. KBYU radio station Classical 89 will increase broadcasts in the coming weeks of previously recorded performances and some commercial recordings that the orchestra has published in recent years, including works by Prokofiev, Berlioz and Saint-Saens. For a complete list of the air dates, times and programs, visit https://utahsymphony.org/radio-broadcasts/

Utah Symphony | Utah Opera Board Chair Tom Love expressed the trustees' concern for the continued support of the organization. "As representatives of one of the state's treasured cultural institutions, the board and I wish to make an impassioned plea to our state and federal governments to offer financial aid to offset the enormous impact these closures will have on our performing arts groups," said Mr. Love. "We are very much in favor of keeping our communities safe and healthy, and we also believe passionately in the uplifting and healing role of music to connect communities during times of difficulty. I hope ticketholders, subscribers and donors will consider donating to us and other arts organizations at this time so we can continue our mission to serve our fellow Utahns."

The cancelation of performances creates significant financial challenges for non-profit arts organizations. USUO joins counterparts in other orchestras and opera companies across the country to lobby Congress to release financial aid to offset losses.

The following Utah Symphony | Utah Opera performance dates have been canceled. The organization is currently evaluating whether any of these performances can be rescheduled to a future season.

• March 12, 2020 - Utah Opera, "Opera-Tunities" Night for "The Barber of Seville"
• March 14, 16, 18, 20 & 22, 2020 - Utah Opera, "The Barber of Seville"
• March 17 & 21, 2020 - Utah Symphony, "Carnival of the Animals"
• March 19, 2020 - Utah Symphony, All-Star Youth Pro Am
• March 26, 27 & 28, 2020 - Utah Symphony, "Carmina Burana"
• April 9, 10 & 11, 2020 - Utah Symphony, Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2
• April 16, 2020 - Utah Symphony, "The Temptations with the Utah Symphony" (Ogden)
• April 24 & 25, 2020 - Utah Symphony, Beethoven 2020: "Pastoral" Symphony
• May 1 & 2, 2020 - Utah Symphony, Beethoven 2020: Symphony No. 5
• May 7, 2020 - Utah Opera, "Opera-Tunities" Night for "Thais"
• May 9, 11, 13, 15 & 17, 2020 - Utah Opera, "Thais"
• May 16, 2020 - Utah Symphony, Gala with Joshua Bell
• May 22 & 23, 2020 - Utah Symphony, Season Finale: Beethoven's "Eroica"

USUO is working closely with local government officials and the health department to determine when it is safe to resume performances. The April 14, 2020 performance of "How to Train Your Dragon" Film in Concert and April 17 & 18, 2020 performances of The Temptations with the Utah Symphony are being rescheduled. Current ticket holders for those performances do not need to act at this time. They should retain their tickets and will be contacted by the ticket office when new dates are announced.

For all other canceled performances, existing ticket holders will be contacted with information on how they can request a gift certificate or return their tickets for a contribution. For more information and to access the online ticket request form, please visit https://usuo.org/news/press-releases/covid-19-coronavirus-status-updates-from-utah-symphony-utah-opera/

Patrons who have purchased tickets for the following Ogden performances should visit onstageogden.org or call 801-399-9214 for ticketing options:

• March 17, 2020: "Carnival of the Animals"
• April 9, 2020: "Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2"
• April 16, 2020: "The Temptations with the Utah Symphony"

Due to a high volume of phone calls, patrons are asked to not contact the ticket office at this time and to instead make these requests through the online ticket form on our website.

To post a comment, you must register and login.