No fireworks! No 1812 Overture!
This news will come as no surprise to anyone, given that the fate of a large concert gatherings this summer is up in the air: the Cleveland Orchestra has announced the cancellation of its entire Blossom Music Center season, as well as its Summers@Severance concerts.
“Given the current state of the pandemic, and to ensure the health of everyone in The Cleveland Orchestra’s community and beyond, it is with great sadness that we announce today the cancellation of our 2020 Blossom Music Festival and Summers@Severance series in July and August,” said Cleveland Orchestra president/CEO André Gremillet in a press release. “The decision to cancel our summer concerts was very painful to make, but it is being driven by an abundance of concern for the safety and health of our musicians, audiences, and staff. We believe that our best hope is to be back on stage in the fall, and we are preparing ourselves accordingly, both in ensuring the safety of our musicians, guests, and staff at Severance Hall, but also in exploring options to livestream performances for our dedicated audience.”
Both of its special movie programs — The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets — will be rescheduled for the 2021 season and the Orchestra’s annual free Star-Spangled Spectacular, held downtown somewhere in the general vicinity of July 4, will be rescheduled for a later date. Blossom Lawn Ticket Books are good for 2021, which other tickets can be exchanged for future credit, donated or refunded. Ticketholders should contact the box office before September 7, 2020 to make arrangements. Email boxoffice@clevelandorchestra.com or call the ticket office at 216-231-1111 to leave a message.