French performing arts struggle under curfew and lockdown

In October 2020, a curfew was implemented in Paris and nine other French cities, resulting in the closure of theaters, with the exception of Nice and Clermont-Ferrand, which subsequently entered a national lockdown on October 30. President Emmanuel Macron sought to preserve economic activity, while Culture Minister Roselyne Bachelot highlighted the importance of cultural endeavors. On October 24, the Philharmonie de Paris presented Stockhausen's 'Dienstag aus Licht.' The Opéra Nice Côte d'Azur launched its season with a filmed performance of Philip Glass's 'Akhnaten' on November 1, without an audience. The Opéra Comique prepared Rameau's 'Hippolyte et Aricie' for a broadcast on November 14. Clermont-Ferrand opened a new theater designed by Eduardo Souto de Moura, with a ballet by Angelin Preljocaj scheduled for December, though its future remains uncertain.