As the year comes to an unsatisfying close, we must adapt to accommodate the coronavirus' demands on our way of life, including how we experience live performance.
There is perhaps nothing more communal than the air we breathe. Now that the oxygen entering our lungs can carry an invisible infection capable of sickening and even killing us, we have lost the very foundation of trust that public space is built upon.
Delta tempered reopening plans but it did not stop them. The digital performances that big and small houses had polished over the summer could be extended just a bit longer. By fall many of us had come to terms with the fact that the virus was becoming endemic and that we would have to find a way to live alongside it. Hiding ourselves away was no longer a reasonable option. Armed with newly abundant N95 masks and brandishing wrinkled vaccine cards, we headed back to our seats in the audience.
I went to my first live performance of the pandemic in early November. Even though everyone was required to show proof of vaccination and wear a mask, I still felt vulnerable. At one point during the show I had to ward off a rising panic as I gazed around me at all the humans, breathing. I had to squash an urge to run for the nearest exit. A mask-muffled cough made me flinch. I could not wait to step outside.
While writing this story, I reached out to my colleagues, Times theater critic Charles McNulty and classical music critic Mark Swed, for their thoughts on what it currently feels like to be an audience member. Swed mused about how masks — whether seen during a livestream from Milan of La Scala’s opening night or in the Los Angeles halls of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion — are often worn incorrectly.
Norge Siste Nytt, Norge Overskrifter
Similar News:Du kan også lese nyheter som ligner på denne som vi har samlet inn fra andre nyhetskilder.
Commentary: From NFTs to long-overdue reckonings, 10 things that shaped the art world in 2021Much happened during a year when museums and galleries began the slow process of reemerging.
Les mer »
Paul Rudd joins 'SNL' Five-Timers Club in unprecedented holiday episodePaul Rudd helps SNL close out 2021 with no live audience and no musical guest, but surprise appearances by Tom Hanks, Tina Fey, and more.
Les mer »
‘Saturday Night Live’ Will Air Final 2021 Episode Without Live Audience, ‘Limited Cast’ Due to Omicron SpikeDue to the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in New York City, Saturday’s holiday episode of “Saturday Night Live” will proceed without a live audience. The upcoming broadcast is set …
Les mer »
Canceled or Renewed: The Fate of Every TV Show In 2021 (So Far)Netflix has revealed the fate of JulieandthePhantoms. (via toofab)
Les mer »
Billboard’s Greatest Pop Stars of 2021: No. 5 — The WeekndThe once-underground R&B singer-songwriter scaled the most historic heights of pop success in 2021.
Les mer »
Terry Crews Says a 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' Return Is Possible (Exclusive)The cast of Brooklyn99 may head to the precinct once again.
Les mer »