The Philadelphia Orchestra's March 12 emotional performance to an empty Verizon Hall at Philadelphia's Kimmel Center was one of the first indications of the transformation that was about to take place in the music world, with artists and ensembles turning to online options to share their music and provide some comfort to audiences quarantined or self-isolating at home. Barely two weeks later, it had to adapt that online strategy to the official announcement of its 2020/2021 season, with President and CEO Matias Tarnopolsky and Music Director Yannick Nezet-Seguin appearing in a video from their respective homes in Philadelphia and Montreal, and the orchestra has since launched its "Virtual Philadelphia Orchestra" project to share concerts and other videos online. A Tempo host Rachel Katz this Saturday (4/4 at 7 pm) looks at the orchestra's upcoming season and its new virtual offerings in a conversation with Tarnopolsky.
The program also features interviews with Tomer Zvulun, general and artistic director of The Atlanta Opera, and Cynthia Thom, costume manager at McCarter Theatre Center, about their staffs' efforts to sew masks needed for healthcare workers amid the Covid-19 Coronavirus outbreak.
