If you can’t go to the show, the show will come to you with these virtual coronavirus concerts.
The arts have taken a huge hit amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Venues have closed down and concerts have been postponed or canceled altogether. While the whole industry continues to face difficulties during these uncertain times, it has also inspired a wave of innovative and moving responses from artists and venues.
Musicians and performers around the world have taken their shows online, performing audience-free in ornate theatres or in their own homes, to keep the spirit alive. From San Francisco to Berlin, here are some concerts you can stream during the lockdown to keep you sane.
La Fenice Opera House – Archive
🎭 State a casa, vi veniamo a trovare noi con la nostra programmazione sul nostro canale You Tube https://t.co/4Dx6afR04Z Oggi è disponibile la ‘Dorilla in Tempe’ di Antonio Vivaldi. Buona giornata, amici! 🎭#iorestoacasa pic.twitter.com/9CE0QmnfsR
— Teatro La Fenice (@teatrolafenice) March 14, 2020
Neither flood, fire nor a virus could stop the Venice opera house from bringing their beautiful music to the world. As Italy faces a nation-wide lockdown, the Teatro La Fenice took to the stage in an empty hall and performed the concert for an online audience. You can watch it here or follow more of their new formats under the hashtag #iorestoacasa (“stay home”) on Twitter.
Berliner Philharmoniker
#Free webcast tomorrow: The Philharmonie Berlin will be closed until 19 April. However, the @BerlinPhil and @SirSimonRattle have decided to give their concert anyway: without an audience, live & free in the #DigitalConcertHall (+ repeats on 13 & 14 March). https://t.co/hShZENBlUQ
— Berliner Philharmoniker (@BerlinPhil) March 11, 2020
As Germany was hit by the virus many concert halls and venues closed down. The Berliner Philharmoniker responded by playing planned performances online and by giving free access to all their concerts and films for the month of March. You can sign up here to get free access to their Digital Concert Hall.
“Carmen” by Staatsoper Berlin – Archive
Never seen the house like this before during a performance – we miss you but are so grateful that you are joining us from your homes all around the world ❤️😘
Photo: Peter Adamik
#carmen #livestream @rbb24 #rbb @rbbKultur #carmen @AnitaRachveli @DBarenboim pic.twitter.com/nx9eBeWLWN— Staatsoper Berlin (@StaatsoperBLN) March 12, 2020
Watch this dramatic opera by The Berlin State Opera that was performed and streamed live on March 12.
YUNGBLUD – March 16
The young star has decided his two months of hard work in the studio deserve to be seen and heard by a live audience. In a bid to build a sense of community during these crazy times the artists will host a live show on March 16, 7AM PST on his YouTube channel. It will also feature MGK, Bella Thorne, and Oliver Tree.
Wiener Staatsoper – Various dates throughout March
Never seen the house like this before during a performance – we miss you but are so grateful that you are joining us from your homes all around the world ❤️😘
Photo: Peter Adamik
#carmen #livestream @rbb24 #rbb @rbbKultur #carmen @AnitaRachveli @DBarenboim pic.twitter.com/nx9eBeWLWN— Staatsoper Berlin (@StaatsoperBLN) March 12, 2020
The Viena State Opera is offering all of its scheduled shows live online along with free access to archived concerts starting March 15. You can access the shows here.
Igor Levit – Daily house concerts
— Igor Levit (@igorpianist) March 13, 2020
The award-winning pianist has taken to Twitter to offer you daily house concerts for as long as needed, from wherever he may be. While the sound quality isn’t ideal, the sentiment makes it all worthwhile. Join the virtual audience here.
San Francisco Ballet – TBC
The SF Ballet very recently managed to resolve the cancellation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by recording the performance without an audience and making it available to all ticket holders. As the closures continue to affect the arts in the Bay Area, many are expected to follow suit. Keep an eye on their Instagram over the next week.
Although these formats could never replace the experience of attending a live show, it offers a unique opportunity for audiences to get a taste of these often inaccessible cultural treats. Hopefully, it will also encourage the industry to reconsider old models that create a more stable yet dynamic future for the artists.
Featured Image by Wiener Staatsoper via Instagram
For an extensive list of live concerts online go to this link.