“Pittsburgh arts patrons are nothing if not loyal,” writes Jeremy Reynolds in Wednesday’s (6/17) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Music, theater and ballet lovers are purchasing subscriptions for performances that may be postponed depending on COVID-19 health guidelines. Ticket buyers are donating the cost of tickets to previously canceled performances to arts organizations and new donors have stepped up…. More than 100 new contributors have chosen to donate to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra…. Subscription sales for its classical and pops series are only behind by about 13% and 20%, respectively, compared to last year… ‘I’ve had conversations with several subscribers who said that they’ll continue subscribing even if they don’t feel safe coming back to the hall,’ said Melia Tourangeau, the PSO’s president and CEO…. No one is sure yet about how performances can begin to happen safely.… The PSO, Cultural Trust, opera and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre are all planning to launch as usual even while closely monitoring COVID-19 guidelines…. Under current CDC and state guidelines, only about 54 musicians out of close to 100 in the Pittsburgh Symphony could fit on stage in Heinz Hall to perform safely. ‘We have to make decisions relatively soon about this one way or another,’ Ms. Tourangeau said.”
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