(Credit: Klaus Gigga)

The Semperoper Dresden has announced the cancellation of a performance of Mascagni and Leoncavallo’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci” on Nov. 17, 2021.

Per sources from within the opera house, the performance of the double bill was cancelled due to one positive COVID-19 case in the chorus.

Cast for the operas included Sonia Ganassi, Teodor Ilincai, Gregory Kunde, Hrachuhí Bassénz, Helene Schneiderman, Markus Marquardt, Stepanka Pucalkova, Aaron Pegram, Sebastian Wartig, Anna Schubert, Juan Carlos Navarro, and Reinhold Schreyer-Morlock. Ivan Repušić was set to conduct the production by Philipp Stölzl.

The Semperoper Dresden introduced the 2G COVID-19 rule, meaning that only vaccinated and recovered audiences can attend performances.

Socialdemocrats, Greens and Liberals are preparing amendments to the Infection Protection Act which will incorporate 3G model for the public transport. The authorities in the City of Berlin and across the country are still weighing the possibility of a strict 2G+ rule for entry to the cultural venues, restaurants and other closed spaces, which will include a mandatory PCR or Rapid Antigen test also for the vaccinated and recovered.

Germany logged new 52,826 new cases and 294 deaths from COVID-19 on Nov. 16, 2021.