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Although performances at Deer Valley’s Snow Park Amphitheater has been cancelled for the summer, the Utah Symphony is still planning on a jam-packed slate next year, they’re also providing music online in the interim.
Interim CEO of Utah Symphony, Opera Pat Richards says postponing the 2020 Summer Deer Valley season was an emotionally difficult decision but an obvious one.
“You just cannot have large crowds under these circumstances,” Richards explained. “We fully support the county's position. Our first priority is the health and safety of our musicians, our staff, the guest artist that come in and certainly the audience.”
Although no performances will happen this summer season, the symphony is calling the cancellation a postponement as most of the guest artists slated to perform this year will be back next summer along with additional performers. Richards says they’ll be announcing the lineup in the coming weeks.
“So when we announced we're going to be able to transfer everyone's tickets to next year,” Richards continued. “We're actually saying if for any reason that you can't come next year, please consider donating your tickets back. This situation is such a difficult one for all of the performing arts.”
Revenues are down 50% due to cancellations for half of the season, with revenue covering just 30% of the cost of productions, Richards says they’re asking for extra consideration during this time.
Thanks to loans through the small business administration the musicians are still being paid and are even performing at home. You can watch those performances on the Utah Symphony website and social media channels.
“Some really wonderful productions that we are doing with parts of the orchestra at a time, maybe 10 or 12 players working very widely spaced,” Richards said. “But making these recordings for us to broadcast and stream.”
Richards says you can also watch their program celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Utah Symphony's first concert on May 19.
