Cleveland Orchestra Won't Have Live Audiences Until March

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Orchestra will not have any audiences in Severance Hall until March 2021, at the earliest.

Orchestra officials announced this week the decision to keep Severance shutoff to audiences through February 2021.

“Our guiding principal throughout the Covid-19 pandemic is the health and safety of The Cleveland Orchestra’s musicians, staff, guests and volunteers,” said André Gremillet, president & CEO of the Cleveland Orchestra. “As the number of cases has increased dramatically in Ohio and will likely continue to do so in early 2021, we’ve made the decision to postpone our performances at Severance Hall in January and February. It is our plan to have a limited audience back the weekend of March 4 for our next concerts as we continue our In Focus digital concert series.”

For music fans hankering for a Cleveland Orchestra fix, the "In Focus" series will offer home broadcast presentations of concerts and backstage insight on the Orchestra's musicians. One-hour episodes are recorded live at Severance Hall and will be available exclusively on Adella, the new digital streaming service.

The Cleveland Orchestra's 38th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration concert will be available for free on Adella starting Jan. 14, 2021 through April 14, 2021.