NAC Orchestra livestream rescheduled to end of month

The National Arts Centre Orchestra has rescheduled its season-opening concert — and its first full-orchestra livestream — to Oct. 31.

The performance was originally intended to take place Oct. 17 but was called off because of the province's modified Stage 2 restrictions imposed on COVID-19 hot spots such as Ottawa and Toronto.

Performing-arts venues were required to shut down for 28 days, starting Oct. 10.

However, partly in response to lobby efforts by the performing-arts industry, those modified Stage 2 restrictions were modified again late last week to allow some activities, including rehearsals and live broadcasts of concerts, theatrical events and other performances, provided there are no spectators in attendance and safety precautions are in place.

In addition to requiring physical distancing, the amendment calls for performers who sing or play wind instruments to be separated from other performers by an impermeable barrier such as Plexiglas.

Under the NAC's coronavirus-prevention strategy, such measures had already been established.

Conductor Alexander Shelley said in a recent interview the 2020-21 orchestra season will focus on historically underrepresented voices, including Black composers, and feature plenty of Canadian content in the form of composers and soloists.

The livestream will be free to watch on the NAC's website, nac-cna.ca. Halloween costumes are optional.

More livestream performances in other disciplines are expected to be added to the calendar, too.