Even before they made the announcement to shut down, many arts organizations were scrambling to navigate President Trump’s ban on travel from Europe, which threatened to leave many without some of their most important artists and biggest stars. The Metropolitan Opera faced the loss of some of its leading stars, including Anna Netrebko, who was supposed to sing there later this month. And the Rotterdam Philharmonic noted the ban as it postponed its first United States tour in 50 years. Anxiety rippled through the arts world in response to the closures. “As theaters and concert halls go dark, we must ensure that musicians and other arts workers are not left behind,’’ he said in a statement.

Source: New York Times March 12, 2020 16:38 UTC