Covid's game of chicken in classical music

“Due to the recent surge of Covid-19 cases in San Diego County and after consulting with local health experts, the San Diego Symphony has made the difficult decision to cancel this concert.” Thus reads the San Diego Symphony website and app.

The concerts which have been canceled were scheduled for January 15 and 16 at the San Diego Civic Theatre. These would have been the first proper concerts since Covid closed everything down in early 2020.

Let’s take a look at that statement from the symphony. First of all, Covid has officially ruined the word “surge.” If I never hear the word again, it will be too soon. Secondly, I can’t imagine any public health official recommending any concerts anytime this year.

At this point, the symphony has not canceled the concerts on January 28 and 29.

It has almost been two years and it is time for the San Diego Symphony to stand up to Covid and perform despite whatever “surge” might currently be occurring. The only reason to cancel a concert would be an outbreak among the orchestra members.

I went to indoor performances in both Los Angeles and New York during the fall while the San Diego Symphony was still outdoors at the Shell. The Shell was the plan so I can understand why the Symphony remained outdoors while others were in the appropriate, indoor space for classical music.

The LA Philharmonic has concerts on January 15 and 16. They have not canceled. The Orange County Philharmonic Society has indoor concerts on January 15 and 16. They have not been canceled. The San Francisco Symphony has concerts on January 16 and 16. They have not been canceled.

According to the latest numbers on the state Covid website, Los Angeles County had a seven-day average of 286 cases per 100,000 people. San Diego’s number was 265 per 100,000. San Diego has a lower number, but the San Diego Symphony is canceling while the LA Philharmonic is not. Both organizations have the same attendance policies of being fully vaccinated and masks during the concert.

The Civic Theatre has 700 more seats than Symphony Hall. Was The Civic Theatre going to be less than half full? It is more than possible. We cannot know.

Recent Immortal Beauty columns:

Dec. 10 Even the Jewish atonal master Arnold Schoenberg wrote Yuletide music

Dec. 17 Informal concerts in 2021 not kind to San Diego

Dec. 24 Christmas is about motherhood

Dec. 31 Wagner takes Lohengrin beyond Star Wars and Gladiator and Indiana Jones

January 7 Max Bruch – better than Brahms