Severance Hall Announces Covid-19 Health & Safety Updates For 2021-22 Season

Today, The Cleveland Orchestra announced that, in order to ensure a safe return to live, indoor performances this fall, it is joining performing arts venues in Northeast Ohio and around the country in adopting updated health and safety policies and requiring all audiences ages 12 and over to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

The updated policies will apply to all guests at all concerts and events at Severance Hall beginning Wednesday, September 15, 2021. These policies and procedures have been put in place as part of The Cleveland Orchestra's commitment to creating a safe and comfortable environment for musicians, audiences, staff, and volunteers.

Beginning September 15, everyone coming to Severance Hall to attend concerts or events will be required to wear a mask. Guests will also need to provide proof of full Covid-19 vaccination or, if they cannot be vaccinated, a negative Covid-19 PCR test completed within 72 hours prior to entering the building. These requirements were developed in response to the rise in the number of Covid-19 cases due to the highly contagious Delta variant, and they will remain in place until further notice

Guests who are unable to provide verification of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 PCR test may contact the Ticket Office to discuss flexible options for their tickets or request a full refund of their purchase. The current Severance Hall Covid-19 health and safety policy is included below. For information, please also visit: clevelandorchestra.com/attend/health-safety/.

"Severance Hall is coming to life again and we are working diligently to prepare for the Orchestra's return to live, in-person concerts this fall with Music Director Franz Welser-Möst," said André Gremillet, President & CEO of The Cleveland Orchestra. "We are eager to welcome our audiences for our first public concerts in over 18 months at Severance Hall. As we collectively continue to face this pandemic, we have given serious consideration to all aspects of this constantly evolving situation, and we developed this policy in consultation with our partners at the Cleveland Clinic.

"We strongly believe that the policies we are putting in place are essential to ensure the health and well-being of musicians performing on stage, the staff and volunteers who help make concerts and events possible, and our audience members who trust us to provide them with a safe environment when they come to our hall to hear great music. We remain extremely grateful to all our audience members for their understanding, and for their flexibility, so that we can come together once again to enjoy the extraordinary power of live music inside Severance Hall."

The Cleveland Orchestra is committed to creating a safe and comfortable environment for its musicians, guests, audiences, staff, and volunteers.

Beginning Wednesday, September 15, 2021, everyone coming to Severance Hall to attend concerts and events will be required to wear a mask. Guests will also be required to show proof of full Covid-19 vaccination or, should they be unable to be vaccinated, to provide a negative Covid-19 PCR test that has been taken within 72 hours prior to entering.

These requirements were developed in consultation with the Cleveland Clinic in response to the rise in the number of Covid-19 cases due to the highly contagious Delta variant. Guests who are unable to provide verification of vaccination or choose not provide a negative Covid-19 PCR test may request a full refund of their purchase.

Anyone feeling ill or experiencing symptoms related to a cold or infectious disease is asked to stay home.

To ensure our audiences' experience with The Cleveland Orchestra is as safe as possible, we continue to consult with the Cleveland Clinic and local public health authorities for health and safety guidelines. These include, but are not limited to, meeting HV/AC air filtration and circulation system requirements, enhanced cleaning procedures, and providing hand sanitizer throughout the venue. As always, the safety of our audiences, musicians, staff, and volunteers remains our top priority.

Guests will be required to show proof of full Covid-19 vaccination of a World Health Organization (WHO) or U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved or authorized vaccine, with vaccination completed at least two weeks prior to the performance date. Alternatively, guests who cannot be vaccinated may provide proof of a negative PCR test that has been completed within 72 hours of performance date. Ticket holders will receive specific instructions on how to provide this information for entry in advance of the performance or event.

Proof of vaccination or negative test must be presented every time when entering Severance Hall through one of the following methods:

· Touchless verification using the CLEAR App

· Showing original vaccination card or a photograph of it on a cellphone, along with a valid driver's license or other government-issued photo ID

Every guest, regardless of vaccination status, is required to wear a face covering at all times and in all areas of Severance Hall, including while seated during the performance. Face coverings should be worn properly, covering the nose and mouth, and meet Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) standards. Neck gaiters and bandanas are not permitted. Patrons arriving without appropriate face coverings will be provided a disposable face mask upon entry to Severance Hall.

Children under the age of 12
Children under 12 who cannot be vaccinated must provide a proof of a negative PCR test that has been completed within 72 hours of the performance date and wear a mask at all times at concerts and events at Severance Hall.

These requirements will be in place on an ongoing basis, subject to regular review and re-evaluation as the situation continues to evolve.

Ticket Office hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 9:00AM to 6:00PM. To purchase tickets, visit clevelandorchestra.com, call 216-231-1111 or 800-686-1141, email boxoffice@clevelandorchestra.com, or visit Severance Hall in person at 11001 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, 44106.

After purchasing tickets, guests are encouraged to access the free Cleveland Orchestra Ticket Wallet app to gain instant, secure, and paperless access to their reserved concert tickets. For more information, visit our Ticket Wallet page.

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