‘Devastated’: COVID outbreak forces OperaSLO to cancel ‘Carousel’ hours before opening

Hours before curtains would have opened, Opera San Luis Obispo canceled its production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Carousel” on Saturday due to a COVID-19 outbreak among the cast and crew.

OperaSLO General Director Brian Asher Alhadeff told the Tribune more than 25 people spanning every area of production have tested positive for COVID-19 — including staff from the orchestra, cast, technical crew and the Performing Arts Center in San Luis Obispo.

The San Luis Obispo-based opera company was set to perform Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein’s iconic musical on Saturday and Sunday evening at the PAC.

The PAC announced the cancellation around 1 p.m. Saturday.

In a statement Alhadeff plans to send out to “Carousel” patrons, he said that more than 1,700 tickets were sold, and additional number of walk-ins were projected.

“I just did not believe it would be safe to expose so many, potentially unmasked, to what we were experiencing,” Alhadeff wrote. “As difficult and costly a decision this was to make, I believe it was the right thing to do, and nothing should ever stand in the way of doing what is right.”

Alhadeff said the need for an immediate decision made it impossible to wait for a Board of Directors meeting. He took full responsibility for the decision to cancel.

“This community has given so much to me, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve Opera San Luis Obispo,” Alhadeff wrote. “I hope I made the right decision.”

The OperaSLO Grand Orchestra was set to be conducted by Alhadeff and the production was directed by Zach Johnson.

On Wednesday, the production’s two leads tested positive. The company put in replacements, began testing everyone daily and continued rehearsing.

By Thursday, about eight more people had COVID-19 — including the alternative female lead and several dancers. As of Saturday morning, there were more than 25 cases.

Among the cast’s positive cases was Alhadeff’s 7-year-old daughter; this was going to be her first show, he said.

Alhadeff said it’s a “true cancellation” and can’t be postponed due to the cost.

The production cost about $160,000, and all the money had been spent , Alhadeff said.

So, the staff “waited to see how much we could salvage” with the remaining cast of triple-threat performers who act, dance and sing, he said.

But out of precaution for the community, the production was ultimately canceled.

“Our company is infected, and I couldn’t, in my good conscience, invite 1,600 people, 1,700 people, to see the show,” Alhadeff said.

Alhadeff said the cast was “devastated” by the cancellation.

“I wish to express my deepest appreciation and love to the most dedicated, talented, innovative, flexible and vigilant cast I have ever worked with,” Alhadeff wrote in the unreleased statement. “The cast that was to perform this weekend deserves every opportunity the future may hold for them. Precisely how they shifted their skills as creative artists to meet the rapidly progressing challenges each day presented is nothing less than the highest standard of theatrical excellence.”

The Foundation for the Performing Arts Center said on Instagram its team “has worked tirelessly to bring this amazing performance to the PAC.”

“We see you and share in the sadness of the decision to cancel,” the foundation said in the Instagram Story post. “Your hard work and dedication is so appreciated.”

Refunds will be sent automatically in the coming days, according to the Performing Arts Center’s website.

The company has the money to cover their losses, but it’s still a “major hit,” Alhadeff said. That money comes especially from two donors who passed during COVID-19, one of whom died from the virus.

“We basically got this, you know, manna from Heaven during the worst when absolutely we needed it,” Alhadeff said.

Alhadeff said OperaSLO has been “on the forefront of COVID protocols” as the only company in the community that required COVID-19 vaccinations in order to perform with them.

OperaSLO also received a donation of nearly 600 test kits, Alhadeff said.

Alhadeff said the staff wasn’t wearing masks since rehearsal began April 18 due to the lifted mask mandate.

“Clearly, COVID is still a very prolific virus, and following county and statewide mandates and protocols was not enough,” Alhadeff wrote.

However, he now encourages other companies to “mask up.” He points to Central Coast Gilbert & Sullivan, which is producing the opera “Ruddigore” at Cuesta College with a staff that includes a couple people from the “Carousel” production.

Alhadeff said anyone willing to support OperaSLO in recovering from the canceled production can donate on its website.

Alhadeff thanked director Zach Johnson and PAC managing director Chris Miller for their guidance and help.

“It’s really a beautiful company, and the shows that we do are just really gargantuan and wonderful,” Alhadeff said. “And this was going to be our comeback.”

This story was originally published May 8, 2022 at 9:00 AM.