Opera of the Ozarks, which has been a major attraction in Eureka Springs since 1951, will not be putting on its summer production schedule due to concerns about Covid-19.
Nancy Preis, general director of the opera, said young people who perform in June and July come from all over the country.
“All it would take is one kid going through the airport getting sneezed on by a stranger to pick up the virus and spread it to everyone at the opera,” Preis said.
The Opera of the Ozarks has been a major contributor to the tourism economy of the area. Preis said about a third of the 3,000 tickets are sold to people who live more than 100 miles from Eureka Springs. Almost all of those come for more than one show, most stay overnight and eat locally.
This would have been the 70th season of Opera of the Ozarks. While a difficult decision, Preis said they we are forced to acknowledge that it would not be possible to produce their intimately scaled operas and other performances with the specter of the pandemic.
“From our housing facilities to the necessity of close contact in a chorus, orchestra pit, on stage or in our audience, we cannot reasonably protect our people,” Preis wrote in an e-mail. “We have considered a multitude of options to try to preserve the season, but in the end, we are forced to admit that it would not be responsible.”
Maintenance work on the campus at Inspiration Point is planned throughout the summer when it can be done safely.
“We will be in better shape than ever in 2021,” she said. “We are developing new programs in conjunction with community partners that will move us forward in our strategy to become a center for lifelong music learning. Some of our new programs will bring our alumni back to Northwest Arkansas, which will give us a chance to enjoy their talents once again.”
The 2021 season will open June 25 and run through July 23. Plans are to perform the repertoire originally selected for 2020 next year. They hope to have many of the same artists and staff join them at that time.
The bulk of their staff are what are considered “gig” workers. Preis said they are working to join the nearly 200 other arts organizations across the country that are trying to support artists by offering partial or full payment for contracted services.
“Many of these highly-skilled artists have seen 100 percent of their income vaporize in the wake of Covid-19,” Preis wrote. “If you usually donate to scholarships, we will apply scholarship monies to our next season. With a worldwide financial crisis, the need for scholarships is likely to be greater than ever.”
“Climb Every Mountain” is the opera’s unofficial anthem. “I can tell you that it’s exhilarating to stand on that stage with 40-some cast members and numerous alumni singing these inspirational words at full volume,” she said. “We will get through this pandemic and we’ll share our music next summer.”