(Credit: Werner Kmetitsch)

The Grand Théâtre de Genève has announced that the performance of Bizet’s “Les Pêcheurs de Perles” on Dec. 26 will go on without an orchestra in the pit.

“For safety reasons related to COVID, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande has determined that the risk of being present in the orchestra pit is too great, and has therefore decided not to perform Les Pêcheurs de perles on Sunday, December 26, 2021 at 8:00 pm. Therefore, the orchestral part will be played on the piano forte. On stage, the production remains unchanged” said the opera house in an official statement.

The opera will star Kristina Mkhitaryan in the role of Leïla, Frédéric Antoun as Nadir, Audun Iversen as Zurga, and Michael Mofidian as Nourabad. Lotte de Beer directs.

Switzerland logged 11,451 new COVID-19 cases on Dec. 23, 2021.