The Boston Symphony Orchestra is outlining safety protocols for this summer’s shortened season at Tanglewood.
On a virtual town meeting Monday, BSO Chief Financial Officer Evelyn Barnes laid out some of the new measures in place for when the Lenox, Massachusetts concert venue reopens for the first time since 2019 on July 9th.
“Masks are required. Everyone on campus will be expected to wear masks, with limited exceptions when you're actively eating and drinking," said Barnes. "Also, of course, when you're blowing a wind instrument, that would be another way to do that.”
During the six-week season, social distancing will be required of attendees and all events will take place outdoors.
“All public performances are going to take place in the Shed," continued Barnes. "Anything that is indoors for staff, administrative things like that. All those buildings, we've assessed them for proper air quality, we've made improvements where necessary. We put some portable air cleaners where that is the thing to do.”
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination will not be required for ticketholders.
“Tanglewood has always been a place where were children have been able to enjoy classical music and the general beauty at Tanglewood in a relaxed setting," said Barnes. "And so, rather than exclude children, or anyone else who may be unable to receive a vaccination, we're instead going to implement these multiple layers of defense.”
There will be no vocal programs this summer, and no concessions will be sold indoors.
“We have reduced capacity," said the CFO. "We're planning for 25% capacity. We are planning that for the shed. If as time goes by, and we're able to have more for the lawn, when will communicate that at that point, we will have in order to have maintained that distance have seats left empty between people between parties within the shed. We're having no intermission. That's to avoid crowds lingering together. The concerts themselves will be shorter, about 80 minutes or less.”
A 25% capacity limit at Tanglewood means a max of 4,500 audience members. Its iconic lawn will have a new mechanism in place to clearly define audience distancing without impacting the grounds themselves.
“if you have lawn tickets, or if you are a shed ticket holder and you'd like to sit on the lawn before the performance, you're going to be given a lot of ground covering, and this is an eight by eight square of recyclable plastic that we have had created. And this is really going to help define your physical space on the lawn. And this is really going to help define your physical space on the lawn. Some of you may have been in the past brought, you know your own blankets, and that's still okay. But we're really providing this so that you know exactly where your party is required to sit," said Director of Patron Experience Amy Aldrich. “We are going to be on the West Street side of the campus meaning that the Lion’s Gate is closed. But we will have the Main Gate, the Roundhouse Gate, the Highwood Gate and the Weber Gates open, and that side of campus and you'll experience a lot of the same types of mechanisms for entering. We'll have our law enforcement officers and our parking attendants, we will still have our accessibility parking lots for those folks that need some assistance with our jitneys running and our wheelchair escorts as well.”
Attendees are still welcome to bring their own picnic baskets to their lawn seats.
“We think, nonetheless, we've put together a season that will give a great variety," said Tanglewood Director Tony Fogg. "I'm very happy that our music director Andris Nelsons will be with us for half of the season. We have some much beloved and very popular guest artists who are with us, some evergreen favorites at Tanglewood like film night, which is on the final Friday of the summer. I think regardless of the constraints under which we've had to work, I'm very confident that everyone who comes to a consonant at Tanglewood will be very, very satisfied by the musical product.”
Fogg noted that the orchestra itself will also be reduced to around 75 members.
“So alas, we won't be able to present some of those big spectacular works by Stravinsky or Strauss or Mahler that have been part of the bedrock of Tanglewood programming for a long time.”
The BSO has suspended the Berkshire resident pass program that allowed locals to purchase a $100 season ticket to the lawn due to the capacity restrictions. A discounted $15 ticket will be available to county residents based on availability.
The box office for Tanglewood’s summer season opens July 2nd.
