HOUSTON — The Houston Ballet announced it has canceled the remainder of its 2019-2020 season due to the COVID-19 crisis.
“It’s with a heavy heart that we have canceled the rest of the season,” says Houston Ballet Artistic Director Stanton Welch AM. “We have survived against the odds before, and we will again. We are dedicated to returning stronger than ever and bringing the art of ballet back to the city of Houston and our community. We are with you and cannot wait to see you on the other side of all of this.”
Performances affected include:
- Forged in Houston (May 21-31)
- Romeo & Juliet (June 4-14)
- From Houston to the World (was in the works to be rescheduled later in the season)
The community performances at Miller Outdoor Theater and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion have also been canceled in addition to the tour to Spain this summer.
Houston Ballet’s full-time staff and dancers will be paid for the remainder of the season, but the nonprofit will need support to recover from the COVID-19 crisis, the Board of Trustees said.
The organization said the foundation is estimated to lose between $2.9 to $4.9 million in revenue this season, so it's asking season ticket subscribers and single ticket holders to donate their tickets back to the organization to help decrease the impact.
“The simple act of not requesting a refund from us at this time would allow us to keep as much as $1.3 million of already earned revenue,” says Houston Ballet Director of Marketing and Public Relations Angela Lee. “Our subscribers and ticket holders will play a crucial role in how this turns out, and we are forever grateful to our patrons who make this choice.”
Season subscribers and single ticket holders for Houston Ballet’s 2020 performances can visit HoustonBallet.org or call 713-227-2787 for more information on the next steps.
You can stay connected with the Houston Ballet by following the organization on Instagram and Facebook.
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Coronavirus symptoms
The symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to the flu or a bad cold. Symptoms include a fever, cough and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Some patients also have nausea, headaches and stomach issues.
Most healthy people will have mild symptoms. A study of more than 72,000 patients by the Centers for Disease Control in China showed 80 percent of the cases there were mild.
But infections can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death, according to the World Health Organization. Older people with underlying health conditions are most at risk for becoming seriously ill. However, U.S. experts are seeing a significant number of younger people being hospitalized, including some in ICU.
The CDC believes symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after being exposed.
Human coronaviruses are usually spread through...
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Help stop the spread of coronavirus
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- Use different utensils and dishes
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your arm, not your hand.
- If you use a tissue, throw it in the trash.
- Follow social distancing
Lower your risk
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
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- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
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