Riccardo Muti and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra have just returned from a tour to Asia which included three concerts in South Korea, setting a benchmark for visiting orchestras in the country.
In order to secure the tour dates, the VPO had to submit an application to South Korean authorities, to be considered for an exemption to the two-week quarantine that is usually required of visitors. At present, visitors to the country must provide a compelling reason for their trip; exemptions are generally only granted to those whose visit offers significant business, academic, or humanitarian interest. As a result, the VPO needed to arrive on a chartered flight, bring their own doctor on the tour, and test each player for COVID-19 daily.
Vienna Philharmonic 2014 recipient of the Birgit Nilsson Prize.