Decades later, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a very similar effect on the music industry.
Two years after the health crisis brought the world to an abrupt halt, live music is finally making a comeback, restoring the livelihoods of thousands in the sector.
During the darkest days of the pandemic, soprano Michelle Francis Cook chose not to dwell on the challenges that brought her industry to its knees; instead, she shook things up and embarked on a new journey.
“I wanted to get away from the negativity of the pandemic,” the singer said.
“I held private music lessons on the digital platform Zoom, continuing to produce concerts for my students and founding a gospel choir.
“Instead of sitting around, I decided to start planning for the future.”
Following last year’s enchanting show at the Montsalvat artists’ colony in Eltham, the Italo-Australian soprano will grace the stage at St Paul’s Cathedral with pianist Roxanne Viggiano for a concert entitled Love, Hope and Faith.
The duo will delight the audience with operatic numbers from Puccini’s Tosca, and as well as the songs Per Te by Josh Groban and Deep River by Harry Burleigh, revisited an operatic style, “in an attempt evoke a sense of hope and faith for the future”.
Speaking of the future, the duo will head to the Australian outback between Mildura and Broken Hill in April to perform for residents in the area, who have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic and the isolation that it has brought.
“Opera has so much energy and people don’t realise it until they sit and watch a live show,” Cook said.
In the meantime, Love, Hope and Faith will take place at St Paul’s Cathedral on February 9 at 1:00 pm.
The concert is free, while donations will be accepted and dedicated to the artists as a show of support following two long and difficult years.
“The cathedral has never stopped supporting us,” Cook concluded.
“The important thing now is to stay positive and continue planning, because that’s what gives us hope.”
