Semperoper Dresden Cancels Entire 2020-21 Season

By Dejan Vukosavljevic
(Credit: Semperoper Dresden official website)

In a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19, the Saxon Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism has ordered the closure of all state theatres and opera houses until April 2021. As a result, the Semperoper Dresden has announced that it has canceled all the remaining performances that were scheduled for the 2020-21 season.

The opera house has stated in the press release that it will announce an alternative schedule that will replace the regularly scheduled productions. The alternative schedule will run from April until July 2021.

“The decision to extend the closure came as little surprise to all of us who have been following with concern the rising numbers of infections here in Saxony and the impact of the escalating global pandemic on all areas of public life,” said the Artistic Director of the Semperoper Peter Theiler. “Our top priorities are to contain the pandemic and safeguard everyone’s health. Accordingly, it is incumbent upon us to act responsibly and, as a public cultural institution, to support this decision in a spirit of solidarity. For all of us at the Semperoper as well as the players of the Dresden Staatskapelle, this means being flexible in our programming. We have to reorient ourselves and focus with renewed energy on creating a wonderful end to the season,” added Theiler.

“Unfortunately, we are unable to realize this season’s program as originally foreseen. But we will make constructive use of the upcoming start date, now postponed to the beginning of April, and the organizational timetable this offers to present our audiences with a replacement schedule for the months April to July 2021 that meets the high artistic standards of the Semperoper,” concluded the Artistic Director of the Semperoper Dresden.

The Semperoper Dresden will decide in the coming weeks which of the originally planned premieres and performances are to be included in the replacement schedule.

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