“Leaders of Houston’s powerhouse performing arts companies have been more emotional than usual this fall” following Hurricane Harvey, reads an unsigned Monday (11/27) Associated Press article. “Worn to a nub from the scramble of relocating, rethinking and rescheduling shows because Houston’s Theater District was so severely damaged, they also need to convince Houstonians that their work is more meaningful … than ever…. The ballet, symphony, opera and Alley Theater each expect setbacks of millions of dollars…. Insurance will offset some of the losses, but ticket sales for the rest of the season remain a huge and critical unknown.… The Houston Symphony, which … canceled 17 events at Jones Hall, could lose an estimated $3 million this season … although it is back on track now with performances in Jones Hall…. Houston Grand Opera spent more than $500,000 to create the makeshift Resilience Theater inside … the George R. Brown Convention Center, where it has performed ‘La Traviata’ and ‘Julius Caesar.’ … Everyone expects it will take the companies three years to fully recover.” Said Amanda Dinitz, the symphony’s interim executive director and CEO, “We’re confident that this community has a strong interest in … continuing to build the quality of the arts.”
Posted November 29, 2017
Pictured: The Alley Theatre in Houston’s Theater District during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The Houston Symphony’s home, Jones Hall, and the Houston Grand Opera’s Wortham Center are nearby in the Theater District, which was heavily damaged by the storm.
