OPERA NEWS has announced that it must cancel its awards gala scheduled for April 5, 2020 due to regulations put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19.

“The editors of OPERA NEWS and the staff and board of directors of the Metropolitan Opera Guild thank our supporters, our sponsors and our 2020 honorees — Thomas Allen, Javier Camarena, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Diana Damrau and Ana María Martínez — for their understanding,” said a statement.

Per F. Paul Driscoll, the Editor in Chief of the publication, the honorees were notified prior to making a public announcement.

The event was to have featured presentations by Frederica von Stade, NYCB principal dancer Tyler Angle, film director James Ivory, director Bartlett Sher, and conductor James Conlon with scheduled musical performances from mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe and Craig Terry.