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The finishing touches were being put on a glitzy performance 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 open on Tuesday to a masked audience up to 75 percent capacity, in hope for a performing arts industry crippled by the pandemic, artistic director Lyndon Terracini told AFP .
“Returning to the theater has been a very emotional time for everyone involved,” he said.
“I think throughout this year more opera houses will be opening very soon and people will come back to the theater with a sense of hope.”
Thanks to Australia’s success in suppressing the virus, crowds inside venues – including the Sydney Opera House – have been allowed in the country’s most populous city for months.
But even as the artists prepared for their opening night, an epidemic in the city forced authorities to tighten restrictions – including a new mandate on wearing masks on public transport and in many indoor environments. from midnight Saturday.
The outbreak of more than 180 cases first emerged in December in northeast Sydney, but has since sparked other clusters, including in Melbourne.
Areas of Sydney remain under lockdown, and officials have suggested that further restrictions may be needed to curb the spread – which could include a change in audience during indoor performances.
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Julie Lea Goodwin, who heads the series with Alexander Lewis, said she was thrilled to be back, but after a nine-month hiatus, uncertainty about the pandemic remained.
“I have no idea what lies ahead,” Goodwin said.
“I think Australia is doing an amazing job … but it’s just going to be a process for next year, I would say, or more.”
Australia has recorded more than 28,400 cases of the virus and 909 deaths linked to Covid-19 in a population of around 25 million.
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