Strathmore, BSO cancel concerts

Tony Bennett, George Winston shows among those pulled from schedule

March 12, 2020 9:23 p.m.

Four upcoming shows at the Music Center at Strathmore have been canceled due to concerns about the coronavirus and new limitations.

Strathmore announced Thursday afternoon that it canceled the Tony Bennett concert on March 15 and the George Winston show on March 23. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has canceled performances at Strathmore tonight and Saturday, as well as all shows at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore through March 21.

The news about shows being pulled from the scheduled comes as Gov. Larry Hogan put in place measures to prevent large crowds from gathering, in an attempt to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Hogan announced a ban on statewide gatherings of at least 250 people.

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Three other performances at Strathmore had already been canceled: The Washington Chorus St. Patrick’s Day Celebration on Friday, the Florida State University Symphony Orchestra concert on March 19 and Washington Performing Arts’ recital by pianist Murray Perahia on March 20. The recital was canceled due to Perahia’s health.

Alaina Sadick Goss, vice president for marketing & communications at Strathmore, said the Winston concert has been rescheduled for Nov. 15 and she is hopeful that Bennett’s performance will also re-rescheduled.

Goss said the cancellations will have a short-term financial impact because the Music Center will not receive the revenue from the performances this fiscal year, which ends June 30, and because Strathmore incurred marketing and other expenses in conjunction with the shows. The Bennett concert was sold out.

In terms of the status of future shows, Goss said Strathmore’s “senior staff is meeting daily to review recommendations from local and national health authorities” and is coordinating with the artists. “We’re really trying to keep looking at this on a rolling basis,” she said.

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