Classical concerts at Segerstrom postponed amid COVID-19 surge

A set of classical music shows slated for this weekend at Segerstrom Center for the Arts has been rescheduled out of concern for the winter coronavirus surge fueled by the highly infectious Omicron variant.

Starting on Jan. 6, twin pianists Christina and Michelle Naughton were to take the stage at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom concert hall alongside Pacific Symphony musicians for a “Mozart and Mahler” series.

With Carl St. Clair conducting, the critically acclaimed duo planned performances of Mozart’s Concerto No. 10 for Two Pianos and Mahler’s Symphony No. 4.

But with coronavirus cases in Orange County steeply on the rise after the holidays, Pacific Symphony announced the postponement this weekend out of an abundance of caution.

“In consultation with guest artists, musicians and health experts, and given the proximity of these concerts to the holiday travel season, we decided to postpone the program,” said John Forsyte, Pacific Symphony’s president and CEO. “We want to start off the New Year honoring our ongoing commitment to the well-being of our audiences, musicians and staff. We take that responsibility seriously.”

The concert series will now take place on June 23 through 26. Tickets already purchased for the postponed January dates will be honored.

Back in August, Segerstrom Center for the Arts announced a set of new coronavirus health and safety guidelines in tandem with other performing arts venues in the county. It rolled out vaccination, testing and masking requirements for artists and audience members alike.

Before the postponement, audience members were required to provide proof of full vaccination or present a negative COVID-19 test within an allotted time before entering Segerstrom’s venues. Once inside, guests were expected to adhere to mandatory masking regardless of vaccination status.

All other future performances — including Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto and Lunar New Year — are expected to remain as scheduled with health and safety protocols firmly in place.

For more information, call Pacific Symphony’s ticket office at (714) 755-5799 or visit PacificSymphony.org.

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