NEW YORK • New York's Metropolitan Opera on Wednesday announced the "painful" cancellation of its entire 2020-2021 season over the coronavirus, a major blow to the city's decimated arts and culture industry.

The announcement is a dire signal for live arts institutions in New York - including the renowned Broadway theatre district - which have sat dark since the pandemic hamstringed the city starting in mid-March, and look set to remain that way indefinitely.

Shows at the Met, a 3,800-seat bellwether for the return of live performances, will not resume before September next year.

The Met said it based its decision to cancel the entirety of its current season on the advice of health authorities, saying it would be unsafe to resume rehearsals and productions until "a vaccine is widely in use, herd immunity is established and the wearing of masks and social distancing is no longer a medical requirement".

Mr Peter Gelb, the Metropolitan Opera's general manager, said that with the cancellation of this season along with the final eight weeks of the previous one, the revered house anticipated a loss in earned revenues of at least US$154 million (S$211.8 million), even as expenses have been reduced.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE