New York Times (03/24/21) Schuetze, Christopher F.

Berlin, Germany, has launched a pilot project to allow landmark cultural venues to put on shows before a live audience, provided audience members wear masks, maintain social distancing and bring a negative result from a coronavirus test taken no longer than 12 hours before curtain. The test, which is included in the ticket fee, must be administered by medically trained staff at one of five approved centers. The project involves a short run of shows intended to determine whether organizers can host cultural events safely, even amid rising infection numbers. One show was a concert at the Berliner Ensemble theater, in which everyone reportedly tested negative before arrival. "The pilot is designed to be safe even when infection rates are high," said Berlin city official Torsten Wöhlert, although he acknowledged that regional lawmakers could be urged to vote on whether to continue the project as COVID cases climb. "There is a big appetite for art," noted Wöhlert. "That was evidenced by the speed with which the shows sold out."

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