Resumption of Public Performances at Shenzhen Concert Hall

As we are transitioning from spring to summer, the COVID-19 outbreak is fading away. The recovery of industries is around the corner and the situation is witnessing positive changes. At present, the epidemic prevention and control landscape in Shenzhen continues to improve, and is generally in a stable and controllable low-risk state. So far, there had been no reports of locally infected cases for almost three months and no imported cases or asymptomatic cases from overseas for a month. 

Since 12 May 2020, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China has released the Guidelines for the Epidemic Prevention and Control Measures for the Reopening of Theatres and Other Performance Venues. According to the guidelines, the live public performance programs of Shenzhen Concert Hall (SZCH) – Afternoon Music Time and Beautiful Sunday – completely resumed from the late May and early June in an orderly manner.

Afternoon Music Time (Image Courtesy of Shenzhen Concert Hall)

Beautiful Sunday (Image Courtesy of Shenzhen Concert Hall)

After a three-month suspension, Afternoon Music Time and Beautiful Sunday returned off-line with performances as rich as ever. Integrating leisure and arts appreciation, Afternoon Music Time started to meet the audience again at the Golden Tree Foyer every Saturday afternoon. With music popularisation and education, the first performance of Beautiful Sunday this year took place on 24 May 2020 and the subsequent performances was held as usual at the Symphony Hall every Sunday afternoon, bringing wonderful music to citizens. These public performances were recorded and broadcasted for free via Shenzhen Concert Hall’s official online platform for audiences at home. 

To cope with the performance resumption in parallel with the prevention and control of the epidemic, the venue never relaxes and will continue to take appropriate measures, including health screening, health monitoring and health reporting for the venue staff, strictly curbing the flow of visitors, and stepping up on disinfection as well as ventilation at the stage areas, the public areas, dressing rooms, entrances and exits, passages, and the office areas in the venue. As for the public performances, the venue will resume and organise in strict accordance with the governmental instructions, for instance, audience will be required to make reservations at the venue, to wear masks and show digital health certificates before entering; the venue will curb the audience flow and implement inspection and registration at the entrance; the attendance rate will be controlled at 30%; safe distance will be enforced at least one meter between the audience as well as the performers; the interaction between the audience and the performers will be cancelled, etc. 

Apart from the resumption of public performances, special performances in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Founding of Shenzhen SEZ will be held in August 2020. The landscape of the city’s development will gradually unfold as music fills the air. In 1980, the first special economic zone was established in Shenzhen and since then a new era of Reform and Opening up has started. Transforming from a small village into the most promising city in China, Shenzhen has become home to tech companies and was recently rated as the city with best quality of life in China. This special performance series is also meant to pay a tribute to those friendly and hard-working people who have made a great contribution to the revolutionary transformation. 

Shenzhen Concert Hall (Image Courtesy of Shenzhen Concert Hall)