New York Metropolitan Opera Cancels Performances Through August Next Year

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The Metropolitan Opera in New York, USA, has given up on resuming performances within this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision by the Metropolitan Opera is expected to affect not only other venues in New York but also the reopening of Broadway musicals.

The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 23rd (local time) that the Metropolitan Opera, a representative performing arts institution in New York City, has canceled the 2020-2021 season. This means no performances will be held until August next year, with performances resuming in September when the 2021-2022 season begins.

The Met Opera had canceled all schedules since mid-March when the COVID-19 outbreak spread, but planned to resume performances with a year-end gala concert on December 31, the last day of this year.

Peter Gelb, General Manager of the Met Opera, said about future plans, "To attract audiences again, we must strive to provide the best artistic experience and also reduce various operating costs."

The Met Opera is reported to have suffered financial losses of approximately $150 million (about 174.4 billion KRW) due to the suspension of performances since last April.

About 1,000 full-time employees, including musicians and chorus members, are also on unpaid leave.

The Wall Street Journal predicted that the Met Opera's decision could influence whether other theaters and arts organizations extend their performance cancellations. New York State and city authorities have not yet allowed venues to reopen. On the other hand, museums and art galleries have recently begun limited reopenings.

In New York State, COVID-19 has been relatively controlled recently, but hundreds of new infections still occur daily. According to Johns Hopkins University, on the 22nd, there were about 39,000 new COVID-19 cases in the United States, with 754 in New York.