'A Met Opera Star Was Born, ‘Then Everything Stopped’' diff viewer (0/1)

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A Met Opera Star Was Born, ‘Then Everything Stopped’	A Met Opera Star Was Born, ‘Then Everything Stopped’
2020-07-01 17:06:45 UTC	2020-07-02 17:36:24 UTC (1 day later)
“Once you make it on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera, you are set,” the mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges said recently.	“Once you make it on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera, you are set,” the mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges said recently.
When Ms. Bridges, 33, debuted at the Met in November in Philip Glass’s “Akhnaten,” she had already sung canonical roles around the world. But she found in Mr. Glass’s Nefertiti an ideal vocal and theatrical fit. With this unconventional role there would be fewer preconceived notions, she said, and “more space for people to receive my performance honestly and openly.”	When Ms. Bridges, 33, debuted at the Met in November in Philip Glass’s “Akhnaten,” she had already sung canonical roles around the world. But she found in Mr. Glass’s Nefertiti an ideal vocal and theatrical fit. With this unconventional role there would be fewer preconceived notions, she said, and “more space for people to receive my performance honestly and openly.”
A writer for The New York Times Magazine followed Ms. Bridges as she prepared for the debut. Opening night went wonderfully. The reviews were excellent. The run, which included an HD broadcast, sold out. Ms. Bridges was ecstatic.	A writer for The New York Times Magazine followed Ms. Bridges as she prepared for the debut. Opening night went wonderfully. The reviews were excellent. The run, which included an HD broadcast, sold out. Ms. Bridges was ecstatic.
And then everything stopped.	And then everything stopped.
In March, midway through a well received run as Dalila in the Washington National Opera’s production of “Samson et Dalila,” that company, along with performing arts institutions around the world, closed down in response to the coronavirus pandemic. One by one, all of Ms. Bridges’s spring and summer engagements were canceled: “Carmen” at the Dutch National Opera, Berg’s “Wozzeck” at the Aix-en-Provence Festival in France.	In March, midway through a well received run as Dalila in the Washington National Opera’s production of “Samson et Dalila,” that company, along with performing arts institutions around the world, closed down in response to the coronavirus pandemic. One by one, all of Ms. Bridges’s spring and summer engagements were canceled: “Carmen” at the Dutch National Opera, Berg’s “Wozzeck” at the Aix-en-Provence Festival in France.
When we first spoke in May, she was still hanging on for a BBC Proms concert in London in July. Simon Rattle was to conduct Chineke, an orchestra founded in 2015 to provide opportunities to young musicians of color, in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, with Ms. Bridges, Pretty Yende, Lawrence Brownlee and Ryan Speedo Green as the vocal soloists.	When we first spoke in May, she was still hanging on for a BBC Proms concert in London in July. Simon Rattle was to conduct Chineke, an orchestra founded in 2015 to provide opportunities to young musicians of color, in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, with Ms. Bridges, Pretty Yende, Lawrence Brownlee and Ryan Speedo Green as the vocal soloists.
It was a performance that meant a great deal to her — then it, too, was canceled. A flood of fall cancellations followed, including the Met, where she was slated to sing the title role in “Carmen” in October, a return to the stage where she’d been so acclaimed a year before in “Akhnaten.”	It was a performance that meant a great deal to her — then it, too, was canceled. A flood of fall cancellations followed, including the Met, where she was slated to sing the title role in “Carmen” in October, a return to the stage where she’d been so acclaimed a year before in “Akhnaten.”
“To go from maybe the highest point in my career so far to literally nothing has been tragic, to say the least,” she said. “Initially I was in disbelief and shock. Since then I’ve been going through phases of fighting back, despair and acceptance.”	“To go from maybe the highest point in my career so far to literally nothing has been tragic, to say the least,” she said. “Initially I was in disbelief and shock. Since then I’ve been going through phases of fighting back, despair and acceptance.”
For classical music, which for all its ritzy connotations has always been economically fragile, the impact of the pandemic has been devastating — for large companies as well as for freelance artists like Ms. Bridges.	For classical music, which for all its ritzy connotations has always been economically fragile, the impact of the pandemic has been devastating — for large companies as well as for freelance artists like Ms. Bridges.
It’s true: While opera fans may think of Ms. Bridges as a fancy diva, she is a freelancer who lives gig to gig. The same goes even for world-famous prima donnas like Anna Netrebko. Neither the Met nor any other company offers either of them a salary, even though both are, in the opera world, stars.	It’s true: While opera fans may think of Ms. Bridges as a fancy diva, she is a freelancer who lives gig to gig. The same goes even for world-famous prima donnas like Anna Netrebko. Neither the Met nor any other company offers either of them a salary, even though both are, in the opera world, stars.
The same goes for artists who are stars in the contemporary music world, like Conor Hanick, a brilliant pianist who plays a wide range of repertory superbly but is best known for his commanding performances of contemporary solo and chamber works. Musicians like Mr. Hanick, 37, can seem to occupy a kind of classical music underground, often playing in smaller, alternative spaces, chamber festivals, or offshoot events presented by larger institutions. But this world is a crucial hotbed of creativity, and Mr. Hanick is a major figure in it.	The same goes for artists who are stars in the contemporary music world, like Conor Hanick, a brilliant pianist who plays a wide range of repertory superbly but is best known for his commanding performances of contemporary solo and chamber works. Musicians like Mr. Hanick, 37, can seem to occupy a kind of classical music underground, often playing in smaller, alternative spaces, chamber festivals, or offshoot events presented by larger institutions. But this world is a crucial hotbed of creativity, and Mr. Hanick is a major figure in it.
When we first spoke, in May, he was feeling bleak but was coming to some helpful realizations while staying close to home in his Brooklyn apartment with his wife and 10-month-old son. He spoke of his “decimated season,” with projects canceled and premieres canned.	When we first spoke, in May, he was feeling bleak but was coming to some helpful realizations while staying close to home in his Brooklyn apartment with his wife and 10-month-old son. He spoke of his “decimated season,” with projects canceled and premieres canned.
“In a weird and depressing way, this catastrophe has been one of the mighty levelers of my career,” he said. “I don’t have any work in the next few months, but I don’t think Yo-Yo Ma has any either, or someone like my friend Julia Bullock.”	“In a weird and depressing way, this catastrophe has been one of the mighty levelers of my career,” he said. “I don’t have any work in the next few months, but I don’t think Yo-Yo Ma has any either, or someone like my friend Julia Bullock.”
It was a source of comfort, he added, that “we’re all experiencing similar feelings of uncertainty.”	It was a source of comfort, he added, that “we’re all experiencing similar feelings of uncertainty.”
Luckily, his wife, Silvia Lin-Hanick, is a librarian and associate professor at LaGuardia Community College; her family has been able to be on her health insurance plan.	Luckily, his wife, Silvia Lin-Hanick, is a librarian and associate professor at LaGuardia Community College; her family has been able to be on her health insurance plan.
Some institutions have been able to fulfill their commitments to performers like him. For going on eight summers, Mr. Hanick has been on the faculty of the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, Calif. This summer, he will be participating from home in the school’s Remote-Learning Institute. The work will be fulfilling, he said, and getting paid is a great relief. (Two weeks shorter than usual this year, the school will pay him in full for the weeks he is working and in part for the canceled period.)	Some institutions have been able to fulfill their commitments to performers like him. For going on eight summers, Mr. Hanick has been on the faculty of the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, Calif. This summer, he will be participating from home in the school’s Remote-Learning Institute. The work will be fulfilling, he said, and getting paid is a great relief. (Two weeks shorter than usual this year, the school will pay him in full for the weeks he is working and in part for the canceled period.)
A concert he was scheduled to take part in this summer at the Caramoor Festival in Katonah, N.Y., alongside the four members of the Sandbox Percussion ensemble will proceed, though without a live audience, as part of a series of livestreamed programs from Caramoor. Mr. Hanick has been learning the challenging solo part for Christopher Cerrone’s new concerto for solo prepared piano and percussion quartet.	A concert he was scheduled to take part in this summer at the Caramoor Festival in Katonah, N.Y., alongside the four members of the Sandbox Percussion ensemble will proceed, though without a live audience, as part of a series of livestreamed programs from Caramoor. Mr. Hanick has been learning the challenging solo part for Christopher Cerrone’s new concerto for solo prepared piano and percussion quartet.
Though grateful to Caramoor for keeping the project alive, Mr. Hanick has been struggling with the emotions of “infiltrating other people’s bubbles,” as he put it. He has been working on the score through online conferences with Mr. Cerrone. Both he and the members of Sandbox Percussion in Brooklyn will all be tested for the virus before they begin rehearsals in mid-July. Mr. Hanick plans to rent a car to travel to the ensemble’s studio in Sunset Park rather than risking the subway. They will travel in a group to Caramoor for the Aug. 6 program.	Though grateful to Caramoor for keeping the project alive, Mr. Hanick has been struggling with the emotions of “infiltrating other people’s bubbles,” as he put it. He has been working on the score through online conferences with Mr. Cerrone. Both he and the members of Sandbox Percussion in Brooklyn will all be tested for the virus before they begin rehearsals in mid-July. Mr. Hanick plans to rent a car to travel to the ensemble’s studio in Sunset Park rather than risking the subway. They will travel in a group to Caramoor for the Aug. 6 program.
~~Updated June 30, 2020~~
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Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
But other works that were on his docket have remained unpracticed while the music world prepares to spend much of the next year in hibernation. “Any minute spent at the piano is obviously a minute spent toward something larger,” he said. Still, he added, “To spend, say, 25 hours learning and rehearsing a new piece only to have it canceled is literally an investment that doesn’t pay off, in a purely economic sense.”	But other works that were on his docket have remained unpracticed while the music world prepares to spend much of the next year in hibernation. “Any minute spent at the piano is obviously a minute spent toward something larger,” he said. Still, he added, “To spend, say, 25 hours learning and rehearsing a new piece only to have it canceled is literally an investment that doesn’t pay off, in a purely economic sense.”
Unlike him, Ms. Bridges has no regular teaching position to fall back on. Though she loves living in New York, everyone is isolating. So she decided to leave her apartment in Harlem and go to Houston to stay with friends.	Unlike him, Ms. Bridges has no regular teaching position to fall back on. Though she loves living in New York, everyone is isolating. So she decided to leave her apartment in Harlem and go to Houston to stay with friends.
“I told myself that we don’t get awards for deciding to do this alone,” she said. So she decided to listen to herself and “not really do anything.”	“I told myself that we don’t get awards for deciding to do this alone,” she said. So she decided to listen to herself and “not really do anything.”
She has been taking time to get a better handle on languages, key for an opera singer, and to immerse herself again in gospel and jazz, music she grew up with. In May she had a gratifying experience doing an online discussion with students at Northwestern University. “It gave me much-needed joy,” she said.	She has been taking time to get a better handle on languages, key for an opera singer, and to immerse herself again in gospel and jazz, music she grew up with. In May she had a gratifying experience doing an online discussion with students at Northwestern University. “It gave me much-needed joy,” she said.
Then came the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and the wave of protests that followed. Los Angeles Opera invited Ms. Bridges to present a livestreamed recital. She told the company that she was not in the right emotional place for that. Instead, she proposed a panel discussion with her and fellow singers of color to discuss racial issues in opera and society.	Then came the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, and the wave of protests that followed. Los Angeles Opera invited Ms. Bridges to present a livestreamed recital. She told the company that she was not in the right emotional place for that. Instead, she proposed a panel discussion with her and fellow singers of color to discuss racial issues in opera and society.
“These are conversations that black artists have every day with each other,” she said. “I’m tired of having them. But if we are having them, we might as well be on a platform.”	“These are conversations that black artists have every day with each other,” she said. “I’m tired of having them. But if we are having them, we might as well be on a platform.”
Available on the company’s website, the panel included Mr. Brownlee, Ms. Bullock, the soprano Karen Slack, the tenor Russell Thomas and the bass Morris Robinson. The participants brought up painful personal experiences in life and at work. Mr. Robinson noted that after 20 years in opera, he has yet to be hired by a black general manager or greeted by a black board chairman, and has never been directed or conducted by a black artist.	Available on the company’s website, the panel included Mr. Brownlee, Ms. Bullock, the soprano Karen Slack, the tenor Russell Thomas and the bass Morris Robinson. The participants brought up painful personal experiences in life and at work. Mr. Robinson noted that after 20 years in opera, he has yet to be hired by a black general manager or greeted by a black board chairman, and has never been directed or conducted by a black artist.
In the most poignant exchange, all six singers spoke of how tiring it is to be constantly expected to teach their white colleagues about racism. Shouldn’t the issues involved, basic questions of right and wrong, be obvious to all?	In the most poignant exchange, all six singers spoke of how tiring it is to be constantly expected to teach their white colleagues about racism. Shouldn’t the issues involved, basic questions of right and wrong, be obvious to all?