Singapore Symphony Orchestra cancels one concert, ticket sales temporarily halted due to COVID-19 outbreak

In line with the travel restrictions of COVID-19, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) has cancelled one of its concert that is due to be held next Friday (27 March), while the concert on the following day (28 March) will proceed with some changes.

The concert was initially scheduled for two days on 27 to 28 March 2020. Unfortunately, the travel restrictions implemented due to the COVID-19 outbreak affected the conductor Stephen Layton’s ability to attend the concert on Friday, according to SSO in a press release yesterday (19 March) .

For the concert on Saturday, it will be held at the Victoria Concert Hall at 7.30pm, albeit with some changes. Darrel Ang will conduct the orchestra with a change of repertoire. Furthermore, SSO will still perform Benjamin Britten’s Simple Symphony and Arvo Pärt’s Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten, and close the concert with Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings.

However, Fauré’s Cantique de Jean Racine and Requiem would not be performed. Guest singers Jassy Husk and Laurence Williams, along with the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir and the treble voices of the Singapore Symphony Youth Choir would not be performing during the concert as well.

What’s more, the title of the concert has been changed to the ‘Spirit of Serenity‘, and there will be no intermission.

In addition, the Open Rehearsal on 26 March was cancelled as well, while the Pre-Concert Talk will go ahead, on 28 March only.

In accordance with the government’s advisory to practice social distancing, the seats in the concert will be adjusted to less than 250 people.

All tickets holders will receive a full refund and can repurchase a ticket for a different seat on the SSO website starting next Tuesday (24 March) at 10am.

For payments made via credit card, ticket holders will receive the auto-refund issued by Sistic within one to two months via credit card billing. For payments via cash/Nets, Sistic will contact the ticket holders on the various ways to obtain the refund.

Additionally, ticket sales for all other concerts were temporarily halted. As the orchestra makes adjustments to fulfill the requirements of the new social distancing measures, ticket holders affected by COVID-19 will be further contacted in the next few days.