Everyone here at Pensacola Opera hopes you are healthy and safe during this unprecedented time.
With a combination of 40+ years in professional opera management, both of us freely admit that “the show must go on” is imprinted in our DNA. Imagine, if you can, the momentous power of the realization that within the confines of this global pandemic, there is no show, and there is no “going on”. Not here, not there, not anywhere.
While initial figures totaling $100,000,000 are being used to express the negative impact on our nation’s operatic industry, we are mostly concerned with the negative impact on Pensacola Opera, the company we have shared with this community for 36 years and which we hope to share for at least 36 more.
Today we are announcing our decision to cancel our new production of Verdi’s Il trovatore. Just as our initial decision to postpone the production was made with caution, care, and consideration for our company and our community, the decision to cancel entirely seemed inevitable, and was made with the same concerns in our minds and our heart.
With the support of our Board of Directors, we have made the commitment to honor existing contracts with all of our artists and creative team. Most artists are dealing with a year of lost work. We know that by supporting these artists now we will ensure they’re in a position to come back when all of this is behind us.
While the artistic loss to our company is great, it is the financial loss and its potential to jeopardize the present and the future of our company which is most concerning to us at the moment. With a financial loss of over $150,000 to our company, we come to you with the humble request that you allow us to convert your Il trovatore ticket purchase into a donation to our company. This is not an easy request for us to make, yet it is the request that we know is in the best interest of our company.
Many of you have already donated the cost of your ticket, and for that we thank you. Beginning Monday, May 11, we will be reaching out to current ticket holders via phone so we may discuss ticket options and your importance in our future. If you know you’d like to donate your tickets, at this time, please email info@pensacolaopera.com to let us know.
Thank you in advance for your patience and your understanding. We hope you will consider our request and continue to support the Pensacola Opera.
Chandra McKern, Executive Director
Jerome Shannon, Artistic Director