NEWS RELEASE
MARCH 17, 2020
CONTACT:
Ryan Scott Lathan, Manager of Marketing and Communications,
817-288-1218; RLathan@fwopera.org
Paulina Magdaleno, Audience Development and Special Events Manager
817-288-1225; Paulina@fwopera.org
FORT WORTH OPERA TO CANCEL 2020 FESTIVAL AND
POSTPONE ALL SCHEDULED PERFORMANCES
FORT WORTH, TX — Fort Worth Opera (FWO) regrets to announce that the 2020 Festival has been cancelled and all upcoming performances have been postponed, in an effort to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19. The company is diligently exploring options to reschedule Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème, the world premiere of Héctor Armienta’s Zorro, and Johann Strauss II’s Revenge of the Bat (Die Fledermaus) for the future. FWO’s concert with soprano Talise Trevigne at The Amon Carter Museum of American Art and Pops at the Pavilion at The Kimbell Art Museum have been cancelled. The Masked Gala will be rescheduled for a later date.
Protecting the health and well-being of our audience members, guest artists, musicians, staff members, production teams, technical crew, and valued collaborators is of paramount importance to Fort Worth Opera and its Board of Trustees. In light of the President of the United States’ declaration of a national emergency, along with the recommendations and restrictions of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the City of Fort Worth, and local health authorities, FWO believes that this course of action is the responsible way to keep our community as safe as possible during the ongoing crisis.
In support of Fort Worth Opera and the 2020 Festival artists, subscribers and single ticketholders can elect to donate the value of their tickets or subscription back to FWO as a tax-deductible contribution. All ticketholders may instead credit the value of tickets or subscriptions to their account and apply the full value to any future FWO performance or 2020-2021 subscription renewal. All ticketholders will be contacted in the next 7-10 days.
Fort Worth Opera has played an integral part in the heritage, culture, and community life of the city of Fort Worth for 74 years. We look forward to returning to the stage next season in celebration of our 75th anniversary, with more thrilling music, captivating stories, world-class artistry, and exciting concert events. In the meantime, we stand in solidarity with everyone to minimize health risks and to offset the many inevitable hardships that the coming weeks and months may bring.
For more information or to support the organization, visit www.fwopera.org.
ABOUT FORT WORTH OPERA: Founded in 1946, Fort Worth Opera is the oldest continually-performing opera company in Texas, and one of the 14 oldest opera companies in the United States. The organization has received national acclaim from critics and audiences alike for its artistic excellence. Beginning in 2017, Fort Worth Opera launched the second phase of its landmark, 10-year Opera of the Americas initiative with Noches de Ópera (Nights of Opera), a groundbreaking campaign that introduces powerful operas, each reflecting the diverse cultures of American audiences.
Fort Worth Opera is sponsored in part by awards from Opera America, The Arts Council of Fort Worth & Tarrant County, The City of Fort Worth, and the Texas Commission on the Arts. Additional Fort Worth Opera sponsors include: the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; the Amon G. Carter Foundation; American Airlines; Arts and Culture Texas Magazine, Visit Fort Worth; Texas The Hattie Mae Lesley Foundation; Live Urban Fort Worth; Virginia Hobbs Charitable Trust, Simmons Bank, Trustee; Townplace Suites; Autobahn; Crystelle Waggoner Charitable Trust, Bank of America, Trustee; The Pangburn Foundation, J.P. Morgan Chase, Trustee; and the Sid W. Richardson Foundation.