Health and Safety Plan

COMMITMENT TO SAFETY
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the SPCO has prioritized the health and safety of our audience, staff and musicians, adjusting safety measures in response to changing conditions and new virus variants.

After an abridged season of concerts in 2021.22 that focused on smaller ensembles and chamber music repertoire to limit ensemble size and allow for distancing of musicians on stage, the 2022.23 season represents a return to a full schedule of performances at the Ordway Concert Hall and Neighborhood Series venues and a return to programs featuring performances by the full orchestra.

We recognize that there will be a wide range of comfort levels amongst audience members upon the start of our 2022.23 season in September. The SPCO will return to concerts at full capacity in the fall without distancing between households. Masks will not be required but are welcomed and encouraged at SPCO concerts. In the event of any changes or if ticket holders are unable to attend their concerts for any reason, the SPCO will continue to offer the flexibility of free ticket exchanges and the ability to bank ticket value for future use, as well as the options to donate ticket value to the SPCO or request a refund by contacting our Ticket Office.

For those seeking a concert experience more akin to our 2021.22 season offerings, please check out our Express Concerts next season. Intermission-less concerts were first offered in the 2021.22 season as a pandemic safety measure, and we will continue to offer a number of these shorter Express Concerts next season. Audience response to this approximately 75-minute concert format during the 2021.22 season was overwhelmingly positive and many indicated they would enjoy attending concerts without intermission in the future. While the SPCO will resume full-length performances with intermission in the upcoming season, the orchestra will also offer several weeks of Express Concerts featuring the same amount of music without the intermission break. Express Concerts are spread throughout the season and are included in a number of subscription packages across SPCO venues, offering subscribers of different packages an opportunity to experience this concert format.

In addition to Express Concerts, the SPCO will continue to offer free, digital access to its on-demand Concert Library, including the addition of concerts recorded during the 2021.22 season and performances that will be livestreamed from the Ordway during the 2022.23 season. The orchestra plans to broadcast 5-10 live performances next season, with the final number of productions contingent on funding.

Concert Length
The majority of SPCO concerts in the 2022.23 season will return to typical length with intermission. Express Concerts will be 60-75 minutes long without intermission.

Guest responsibility
We ask that guests stay home if they are sick or if they are exposed to COVID-19. Please contact the Ticket Office to transfer your tickets to another performance, bank your tickets in your account for later use, turn your tickets back as a tax-deductible donation to the SPCO, or request a refund. The Ticket Office can be reached by phone Monday through Friday 12pm–5pm at 651.291.1144 or by email at [email protected].

Watch Concerts from anywhere via our free online Concert Library 
We’re excited to welcome audiences back to our live performances, but we know that many in our community may not feel comfortable attending concerts in person. Those who are not comfortable or not able to attend in person can watch SPCO concerts streamed live from the Ordway Concert Hall throughout the season. In addition to the livestreams, we will continue to add new on-demand content to the library, and all Concert Library content will continue to be available to our community completely free of charge.  

We will continue to monitor the COVID situation and will communicate any changes to our safety measures with as much advance notice as possible. Please contact our Ticket Office at 651.291.1144 or [email protected] with any questions.