Last weekend the University of North Carolina School of the Arts 2021 season opened at the Stevens Center with a production of The Winter Opera. The lights came up on singers dressed in 18th-century costumes on an intricately designed set in an otherwise empty theater. The audience watched the performance at home over UNCSA On Demand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even though seats are empty, the Stevens Center stage is not. Many in Winston-Salem will recall The<\/em> Nutcracker<\/em> released for free to the public in video format this past December. In February of this year, the Winston-Salem Symphony streamed and recorded their \u201cValentines Mixtape\u201d concert, one of many future projects according to the Winston-Salem Journal<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With the pandemic still looming, keeping the performers and technicians safe during these performances is a major concern of Wiley Hausam, the Managing Director of Performance Facilities at UNCSA. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is a constantly moving target,\u201d says Hausam. \u201cWe have protocols for all of our performances no matter who is in the space. Ideally we want to keep everyone six feet distance and everyone must wear a mask even if they have been vaccinated.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The UNCSA protocols for their spaces are rigorous, especially for the students. Each and every student working in the Stevens Center, or anywhere else for that matter, must fill out a coronavirus survey to see if they have been experiencing any symptoms of recent. Then they are temperature checked upon entering the space and remain masked and socially distanced throughout the rehearsal. Another caveat; absolutely no mingling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe can’t take risks because our singers are unmasked for the streaming service,\u201d says Omar Sosa, the production assistant for this year’s UNCSA Winter Opera. \u201cSo, every single part of the production has a specific time slot to work on whatever thing they have before our performers come onto the stage where absolutely nobody is allowed in the space.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n UNCSA also teamed up with The Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County back in October and November of 2020. UNCSA rented two spaces downtown including the Hanesbrands Theater and the Reynolds Place Theater for three performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDown in the Face of God\u201d was released on Mar. 8 and \u201cSweat\u201d will be released on Mar. 12. Both of the shows will be in a streaming format. The third performance, \u201cAn Afternoon at the Opera\u201d will be live streamed at the Hanesbrands on Mar. 28. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe do not expect to see any audience in any space until December of 2021,\u201d says Hausam. \u201cKeeping our students and the Winston-Salem community safe is and will continue to be our number one priority.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n