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As vaccines ramp up, live venues reopen to guests
FOX 29's Hank Flynn is at the Mann Center where a limited number of opera fans got to attend an in-person performance in months.
FAIRMOUNT - Live music is back.
The first of, hopefully, many, many events to come.
Things were still socially distanced and it wasn’t a completely packed crowd.
"Just so exciting. This is wonderful! So glad to be here. I don’t mind the rain – whatever! Over a year," Nedra Lexon exclaimed.
To say Lexon and Ralph Welsing are happy to be at the first live concert at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts since the pandemic forced it to shut down, is an understatement.
"It's just geat to hear their voices and to see everybody there enjoying it and thrilled by it, in person," Lexon went on.
The Mann working diligently for the last two months to bring back live music and make sure everything is as safe as possible.
"We ask people to complete a health survey before they get their tickets online. We don’t have any paper tickets. It’s electronic. We are following the city’s guidance with social distancing and mask wearing," stated CEO of Mann Music Center Anthony Slade.
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Live music returns as The Mann Center reopens to thrilled patrons
Dawn Timmeney reports on the reopening of The Mann Center for the Performing Arts and the people excited to heat live music
Only 300 people allowed through the doors for the performance by Opera Philadelphia.
"Seeing a performance not in front of my tv screen, not being in my living room, being with people is a totally different vibe," said Liz Krohn.
As Philadelphia weighs its next steps about when to drop COVID restrictions, many hope Wednesday night is a sign of the future.
"It’ll be great when we can get back to elbowing with one another and chatting about the music and what we enjoyed," Beth Congdon-Martin observed.
"This is a turning point for sure, yes. Hopefully, as things get better, we can welcome more and more people back to full occupancy and really, really celebrate live music again," Slade added.
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