Pandemic forces cancellation of Europa Cantat programme ‘core’

The organisers of the flagship Europa Cantat 2021 festival, due to take place in in Slovenia in July, have announced the cancellation of the main in-person elements of the event ‘while the pandemic and different measures aimed at curbing the spread of infections continue to shape our lives’.

According to a statement from the European Choral Federation (ECA) on behalf of the organising consortium, ‘After months of hard work and efforts to construct various scenarios, we have found ourselves at a point where there are no more options, and we are obliged to make radical changes to our programme due to various risk factors… Unfortunately, the very core of our festival, the ateliers of 4 days, 6 days and 8 days as well as the Study Tour, will have to be cancelled completely. The Slovenian authorities do not wish to increase the risk of mass infections by gathering so many people from different countries in one place and letting them sing together in large groups for several days’.

There are plans to implement some other parts of the project, including online activities and a ‘virtual foyer’ for registered participants, which will be announced shortly.

It has not been possible to move the festival to 2022 for various reasons, including the fact that funding is linked to the Slovenian EU Council Presidency from the second half of 2021, which will not be postponed.