In-Person Audiences to Return to the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts

Guests will once again grace the seats at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, as the North Carolina Symphony welcomes small, socially distanced audiences to Meymandi Concert Hall for six performances this spring-in accordance with capacity regulations for in-person gatherings set by Governor Roy Cooper.

"The health and safety of our audience, musicians, and staff is our first priority as we gradually re-open Meymandi Concert Hall for live performances," says Sandi Macdonald, North Carolina Symphony President & CEO. "Over the past month, the Symphony has tested our in-person protocols at the concert hall with smaller groups of audience members, and we are confident in providing a safe and welcoming atmosphere for our patrons. We are appreciative of the audiences that have been enjoying our streaming concert broadcasts, and are thrilled to now be able to bring them back for the live musical experience."

The Symphony's in-person performances will feature music of Beethoven as part of its LVB250 Festival, which has been celebrated throughout the 2020/21 season, commemorating 250 years since the composer's birth. On Friday, April 30, 2021, Augustin Hadelich joins for Beethoven's Violin Concerto; on Friday, May 14, the Symphony performs Beethoven's Symphony No. 4; and on Friday, May 21, the Symphony performs Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 with Orion Weiss joining for Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 19. Each date includes performances at 1pm and 7pm.

A limited number of tickets may be purchased from the North Carolina Symphony at this link.

Over the past year, the Duke Energy Center staff has been hard at work preparing for a safe re-opening. Having expanded already-stringent cleaning procedures in the wake of COVID-19, the Raleigh Convention & Performing Arts Complex received GBAC STAR™ accreditation, the cleaning industry's only outbreak prevention, response, and recovery accreditation for facilities. "The safety of our guests is our number one priority and we're delighted to finally be re-opening our doors to audience members so that they can once again enjoy live performing arts," says Michelle Bradley, Duke Energy Center's Assistant General Manager.

When attending upcoming events at the Duke Energy Center, guests can expect socially distanced seating, enhanced cleaning, and hand sanitizer stations available throughout the venues. Masks will be required at all times, touchless temperature scanning will take place upon entry, and touchless payment options and ticket scanning will be used. In addition-implementing new security features that were designed more than a year ago-all guests will enter through a security checkpoint, which includes a metal detector and bag screening; handbag size will be limited to 12 x 12 x 10 inches.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began over a year ago, the Duke Energy Center pivoted to strictly virtual events and so far, has successfully hosted more than 42 streamed performances, including productions from the North Carolina Symphony and Carolina Ballet. The Symphony will continue streaming its concerts at least through the spring; the in-person performances of Beethoven's Violin Concerto and Beethoven's Symphony No. 4 will be filmed for release as streaming concerts.

Events are being added daily to the calendar at the Duke Energy Center, with 33 in-person events booked currently over the next few months. Other resident theatre companies have also announced their upcoming seasons, including PineCone's Down Home Concerts series beginning in May with The Gibson Brothers with Tray Wellington and NC Theatre's season beginning in July with Songs for a New World.

A list of upcoming events, as well as more information about new entry procedures and cleaning protocols can be found at www.dukeenergycenterraleigh.com.

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