Portland, OR. Portland Opera will cancel the remaining productions in its 2019/2020 season. The Opera’s executive team unanimously agreed that this course of action is the responsible way to contribute to solutions in slowing the spread of COVID-19 in the community and region while maintaining a solid future for the company. As a result of these cancellations, patrons and subscribers who have already purchased tickets for the Big Night concert, Pagliacci, and Three Decembers can opt to donate the value of their tickets to Portland Opera as a tax-deductible contribution or are eligible to receive a refund. Portland Opera’s 2020/2021 season is set to start in September of 2020,
The cancellation will include all mainstage opera performances, as well as all related events, and public programming.
They are as following: Big Night Concert | May 9, 2020 | Canceled, Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci | June 5 – 13 | Canceled, Heggie’s Three Decembers | July 17 – 25 | Canceled. (Also canceled, Portland Opera Resident Artist Recitals. All preview and enrichment events scheduled in support of productions canceled)
“This is a heartbreaking decision, but it is made with the intention to support the well-being of our community and company during this public health crisis,” says General Director Sue Dixon. “The cancellation of the remainder of our season impacts everyone who is part of Portland Opera—our patrons, audience members, artists, musicians, chorus members, collaborators, and our staff. No one, in any sector, can know the full economic impact of this unprecedented situation at this moment. So, this is our best forward-thinking plan to keep our company whole and contribute to solutions for our community. This is how we ensure our legacy.”
Meanwhile, Portland Opera costumer Christine Richardson posted on Facebook that she is making protective face masks. She writes, “As a costumer, I’ve always loved assembly line projects. They can be very satisfying both in product and procedure.
One layer prewashed tight woven cotton (cut from brand new hospital gowns), one layer HEPA grade 3 ply vacuum bag, 1 aluminum nose wire, 2 pc vacuum filter binding and 2 elastic loops.
An example of the finished product. She had 25 masks prepped/cut in 3 hrs.
The Portland Opera 2020/2021 season will kick off in September of 2020, with Robert Xavier Rodríguez’s Frida at the Newmark Theatre. In the meantime, staff and company leaders remain focused on the company’s strategic plan, in pursuit of an active and sustainable role as an artistic leader and community partner.
“Our community relationships are at the core of our values and our strategic plan for the future, and those values are not canceled as a result of this announcement—they are augmented,” says Curtis T. Thompson, MD, President of Portland Opera’s Board of Directors. “We look forward to sharing the power and beauty of live opera again soon, and in the meantime, we are doing everything we can to remain a leading arts employer and creative force in our region for decades to come.”
Additional details can be found online by visiting www.portlandopera.org. Portland Opera’s Patron Services team can be reached Monday – Friday, from 10 AM – 5 PM at 503-241-1802.
About Portland Opera:
Portland Opera exists to inspire, challenge, and uplift our audiences by creating productions of high artistic quality that celebrate the beauty and breadth of opera.
Since 1964, Portland Opera has contributed to the cultural, artistic, and economic landscape of the city and region that we love. We celebrate the beauty and breadth of the opera repertoire with performances that take place in the Keller Auditorium, Newmark Theatre, and the Gregory K. and Mary Chomenko Hinckley Studio Theatre at the Hampton Opera Center. The company is also a committed educational partner, touring fully staged operas to schools and community centers throughout Oregon and SW Washington region each year, in addition to a host of other efforts designed to make opera accessible for all.
