SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Ballet Orchestra provided a free street performance Friday evening for downtown visitors and restaurant diners on a street closed to traffic.
Five musicians gathered in front of the Sugar Lounge in downtown Hayes Valley. The performers included two cello players and three violin or viola players.
According to ABC news, the orchestra usually performs at the War Memorial Opera House on Van Ness Avenue. The house is part of the San Francisco War Memorial and currently closed in relation to COVID-19.
The San Francisco Ballet Orchestra was founded in 1975 and according to their website is “internationally recognized as one of the foremost ballet orchestras in the world.” During full performances the musician’s numbers range from 49-65 players.
The street performance is made possible by the Shared Spaces Program (https://www.thesfnews.com/shared-spaces-program-covers-june/69214) set forth by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
The program allows local businesses to thrive during the pandemic by ensuring their spaces are safe and following social distancing guidelines. The ability for businesses to retain permits was recently extended and is under consideration for permanence.
The orchestra plans to return next Friday to the same location at 5:30 p.m.
