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A man wearing a face mask walks in front of the Opera House as COVID-19 restrictions apply for New Years celebrations around Circular Quay in central Sydney on December 31, 2020. Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP
SYDNEY – The final touches were being put on a dazzling show at the Sydney Opera House on Saturday, as the venue prepared to host an opera crowd for the first time since March.
“The Merry Widow” will premiere on Tuesday to masked audiences up to 75% full, in a sign of hope for a performing arts industry crippled by the pandemic, artistic director Lyndon Terracini told AFP.
“Walking back to the theater was a very emotional moment for everyone involved,” he said.
“I think that throughout this year, other opera houses will open very soon and people will return to the theater with a sense of hope.”
Thanks to Australia’s success in suppressing the virus, crowds within venues, including the Sydney Opera House, have been allowed into the country’s most populous city for months.
But even as artists were preparing for their opening night, an outbreak in the city forced officials to tighten restrictions, including a new mandate on the use of masks on public transport and in many indoor settings starting at midnight. of Saturday.
The outbreak of more than 180 cases first emerged in December in northeast Sydney, but has since sparked other clusters, including in Melbourne.
Sydney areas remain closed and officials have suggested more restrictions may be needed to curb the spread, which could include a change in audiences for indoor performances.
Julie Lea Goodwin, who leads the show along with Alexander Lewis, said she was delighted to be performing again, but after a nine-month hiatus, the uncertainty of the pandemic still loomed.
“I have no idea what to expect,” Goodwin said.
“I think Australia is doing an incredible job … but I would say it will be a process for the next year or more.”
Australia has recorded more than 28,400 cases of the virus and 909 Covid-19-related deaths in a population of approximately 25 million.
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