New national Covid-19 measures to come into effect from Thursday 5 November will impact Opera North’s planned activity over the coming weeks. This includes our scheduled Handel / Weill double bill of Acis & Galatea and The Seven Deadly Sins at Leeds Playhouse, the tour of Whistle Stop Opera: Cinderella, concerts planned for Leeds Town Hall including early performances of Fidelio, and outdoor performances of La petite bohème and As You Are. Read the latest information.
COVID-19 audience guidance
COVID-safe measures for events
The safety and comfort of our audiences is really important to us. Here we lay out the measures we have taken to ensure this. These measures are in line with advice and guidance from the UK Government, the NHS, and the World Health Organisation. They will be kept under review to ensure they are as effective as possible.
- Tickets are strictly limited to a level which will allow social distancing both in the ‘auditorium’ area and at all points around the site, including for access.
- Audience members must only book as a group if they belong to the same household or bubble.
- If the space available at a venue requires it, a one-way system will be set up for audience members to enter and leave the auditorium space and appropriate signage and staffing will be provided.
- Hand sanitising stations will be available on entry at all venues we tour to and all audience members are encouraged to use them.
- Everyone is expected to wear a face covering at all indoor events unless excused for reasons of age, health or disability. For outdoor events, audience members may be required to wear face coverings – please check the event details.
- Wherever possible tickets will be sold online and e-tickets will be used. Tickets will be checked on entry to the auditorium area without contact. Please note, tickets must be purchased in advance. To reduce contact points there will be no ticket sales on the door.
- When booking, we will ask for your contact details, including a current telephone contact, which will be passed on to the test and trace scheme if required.
- All seating and any other surfaces will be cleaned and sanitised between performances.
- If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, or have been in direct contact with a diagnosed individual in the last 14 days and have been advised to self-isolate, you must not attend the event. Please contact the venue Box Office to arrange a ticket transfer, credit or refund.
- If a performance is cancelled for any reason, we will contact you and explain our refund options.
- Usually we welcome vocal expressions of appreciation, but we ask that you refrain from raising your voice or singing during or after performances to minimise the risk of transmission of the virus.
Find out more from the venues we tour to:
FAQs
How will I know which entrance/exits are being used and is it the same for accessible entrance/exit?
If you need to use a particular entrance/exit, the information will be included with your ticket or in your pre-show email. At the end of performances indoors, you may need to wait until a member of the Front of House team directs you to an exit to maintain social distancing. If you are unsure about entrance/exit, ask a member of staff on arrival who will be able to help.
How will queues be minimised? Why have I been allocated a time slot?
Queues will be minimised by having timed entry, managing the number of people arriving at any one time.
What happens if I miss my time slot?
Please keep to your time slot if possible to support social distancing. If you miss it, you may need to wait until an appropriate time to enter.
What is being done to ensure the venue is clean?
All venues have an enhanced cleaning regime in place, all seating and any other surfaces will be cleaned and sanitised between performances.
How many people will be in the venue at one time?
Audience numbers are significantly reduced to ensure social distancing can be maintained. Additional staff will be working, wearing masks and/or visors. Total numbers will vary depending on the performance. For more information, please contact the box office via email boxoffice@operanorth.co.uk or call 0113 223 3600.
Who should I contact if I have symptoms of COVID-19 after attending a performance?
If you start to develop symptoms of COVID-19, you should self-isolate and get tested as quickly as possible. If you then test positive, NHS Test and Trace will ask you where you have been recently and who you have seen. They will then get in touch with anyone you may have been in close contact with to advise them on what to do next.
Will I be contacted if someone tests positive after attending the event?
If one of your fellow audience members tests positive for COVID-19 following a performance, you may receive a call from NHS Test and Trace, asking you to get tested or self-isolate. We ask that you follow any advice they may give you.
Can I get a refund if I’m asked to isolate or if I fail a temperature check on arrival at the venue?
If you are instructed to self-isolate over the period of a booked performance, or if your temperature is outside the normal range on arrival for the performance, please contact the venue Box Office to arrange a ticket transfer, credit or refund. For tickets booked through Opera North, we can offer a ticket exchange to a different performance, a credit on your account (valid for 12 months) or a refund on your tickets if:
- you feel unsure about attending a performance due to COVID-19
- you’ve been instructed to self-isolate over the period of a booked performance
- you have symptoms of COVID-19 or a high temperature on the day of the performance
Send your tickets back by email to boxoffice@operanorth.co.uk, and if you have symptoms on the day, let us know within 24 hours.
What do I do if I am unable to book online or receive e-tickets via email?
Contact the relevant venue Box Office or call 0113 223 3600 (Mon-Fri 10am to 6pm) and we will assist you.
Will I be able to sit with my friends?
If your friends are in your household or bubble, you can sit together. Seating is by household or bubble only.
My friend can no longer attend, can I use their ticket?
If you are in the same household or bubble as everyone else in your friend’s booking, then yes. Please get in touch with the Box Office so they can transfer the ticket to your account as we will need your contact details for NHS Test and Trace. If you are not in the same household or bubble, contact the venue to check: many events are sold out so there may not be a socially isolated seat available for you.
Will I still be able to access bar/cafe spaces/purchase ice cream?
Some venues may offer a pre-ordering in-seat service. If this information is not available email boxoffice@operanorth.co.uk or call 0113 223 3600 for this information.
Will I be able to purchase a programme?
To limit contact and queuing, programmes will not be available but details about the performance will be available online.
Will I be able to use the toilet? How regularly are they cleaned?
Where toilet facilities are available, please respect social distancing and use hand sanitiser provided on entry/exit. Please check the venue information in the link above, if this information is not available email boxoffice@operanorth.co.uk or call 0113 223 3600 for this information.
Will I be able to use the cloakroom?
To limit contact and queuing, no cloakroom will be available. Please check the venue information in the link above, if this information is not available email boxoffice@operanorth.co.uk or call 0113 223 3600 for this information.
Why are there so few tickets available?
Social distancing means significantly reduced seating capacities for all of our shows. We will do our utmost to offer a range of seat configurations for different household sizes while maximising the total number of seats available. Ticketing software providers are working on more dynamic solutions to make booking much more flexible. Until then we are sorry if you’re not able to purchase the number of seats you are looking for. We are doing our best to reflect the range of audience demand and we appreciate your patience and understanding while we monitor and review in line with the regulations and approval processes. We welcome your feedback to feedback@operanorth.co.uk.
Why are there so few single tickets available?
We will ensure we provide single ticket options at all of our performances wherever possible by responding to audience demand for single tickets balanced against the seating configuration restraints we encounter with socially-distanced auditoriums. We apologise if single tickets sell out faster than other bubble sizes. We will continue to review this and we are currently working towards a more flexible booking solution. We thank you for your patience.
