Berlin Medical Institute Study Says Concerts And Operas Could Safely Have Full Houses — Then Institute’s Board Disavows Study

“Earlier this week, leading German epidemiologists from the prestigious Clinic Charité published a revised study suggesting that the opera houses and concert halls should allow every seat in the audiences to be occupied. …
However, in a major twist, the Charité’s Board of Directors … stat[ed] that ‘the paper on the resumption of opera and concert operations under the COVID-19 conditions had not been coordinated and did not reflect the position of the board.'” – OperaWire

Radio Listenership Has Plunged. But NPR’s Listenership Is Up Ten Percent. Why?

Even as its legacy platform’s audience has declined, though, NPR says it is reaching more people than ever. The dip in radio listenership — 22 percent — has coincided with a record number of people turning to NPR on virtually every other platform. More people than ever are reaching NPR through the website, apps, livestreams, and smart speakers (“Alexa, I want to listen to NPR”). – NiemanLab

At Least One London Theatre Has Kept Busy Throughout The Pandemic

“The Bush Theatre in London [has] produced a series of timely Monday Monologues online, curated The Protest series of digital pieces inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and posted a number of Master Classes. It even became one of the first theatres in London to reopen its building — not for regular theatre performances, but for socially distanced community programs. … At the helm of it all is Lynette Linton, the young writer-director who took reins at the Bush just last year.” (podcast plus text) – Variety

Stand-Up Comedy Outdoors Just Doesn’t Work The Same Way

Several outfits in New York are trying it, and Jesse David Fox checked one out. “Comedy clubs are agreed-upon spaces where we allow comedians to say whatever they want. But now we have, as [Sean] Patton called it, ‘filthy hoo-ha talk’ floating into the air for anyone to hear. … Also, you don’t think about how important ceilings are until there aren’t any. Comedy benefits from trapping the laughs in, allowing one joke to ride off the momentum of the previous one. When that’s not possible, laughs float away into the air.” – New York Magazine

Can The Arts Help Revive Rural America?

“According to the Rural Establishment Innovation Survey, residents in rural counties that are home to performing arts organizations earn up to $6,000 more than people who live in rural counties without such platforms. All of this is sparking hope for a revival of rural counties — half of which have seen their population decline since 2000 — and at a time when experts are predicting mass migration from urban centers to smaller towns because of the growing costs in cities and the increased possibilities for working from home.” – OZY

New York Museums Cleared To Reopen As Of Aug. 24

“The announcement came as the state has seen less than 1 percent of all coronavirus tests return positive for seven straight days, [Gov.] Cuomo said in a news conference. … Institutions will be required to keep the buildings at 25 percent occupancy and to use a timed ticketing system, … to control the flow of traffic through their buildings, and face coverings will be compulsory.” – The New York Times

Giant Outdoor Mass Art Productions Aren’t That Risky And Shouldn’t Be Banned

Or so says the director of an arts production company in the UK. “It’s a brave new world out there, and we’re all going to have to adapt. There are no limits to what our artists, technicians, actors, creators, musicians, dancers and designers can imagine to bring back live outdoor experiences for audiences stupefied by the isolation of the omnipresent screen.” – The Guardian (UK)

Massachusetts Orders Two Live Plays In Berkshires To Reduce Audience Sizes

The first two theater productions in the U.S. since lockdown to be approved by Actors’ Equity for performing before an in-person audience, Godspell at Berkshire Theater Group and Harry Clarke at Barrington Stage Company, “will each allow only 50 people to be present — down from 100 — after the state of Massachusetts rolled back its reopening protocols in an effort to slow the spread of the disease.” – The New York Times

Indoor Performances In England Get Green Light To Resume This Weekend

Venues must require audience members to wear masks and maintain social distance, but if those requirements are being met, then — “despite concerns about persistently high daily infection numbers” — theatres and concert halls may reopen as of Saturday, August 15, along with bowling alleys, skating rinks and some sports events. (Of course, if recent history is any guide, this decision could be reversed Friday afternoon.) – The Guardian

If COVID Means Audiences Can’t Sit Through These Shows, Then They Can Walk Through Them

“Now several companies are attempting variations on what is sometimes called promenade theater — outdoor productions in which audiences move as they follow the action. The form — a cousin to street theater — has a long tradition, particularly in Europe, but has new appeal in the United States this summer because of the relative ease of keeping patrons apart outdoors.” – The New York Times