The text of the letter follows.

Dear Colleagues,

With the Coronavirus having reached New York, we have instituted travel policies for our employees that we wanted to share with you, since your artists will need to be bound by them, as well. This is part of our effort to keep our company healthy and safe.

All Met employees and artists are required to be in self-imposed quarantine for a period of fourteen days upon arriving in New York from any one of the countries designated by the U.S. Center for Disease Control. These countries currently are China, Iran, South Korea, Japan, Italy, and Hong Kong.

This may mean changing flight plans so that your artists arrive early enough to be able to begin rehearsals on time after the fourteen day period. Or, it may mean starting rehearsals later in order to conform to the fourteen day quarantine period. We do not plan on penalizing your artists financially for making these changes in their plans. Please be in touch with Jonathan Friend or me to discuss how we may work together to meet these important new requirements. Thank you.

Best wishes,

Diane Zola

Diane Zola
Assistant General Manager, Artistic

La Cieca

James Jorden (who wrote under the names "La Cieca" and "Our Own JJ") was the founder and editor of parterre box. During his 20 year career as an opera critic he wrote for the New York Times, Opera, Gay City News, Opera Now, Musical America and the New York Post. He also raised his voice in punditry on National Public Radio. From time to time he directed opera, including three unsuccessful productions of Don Giovanni. He also contributed a regular column on opera for the New York Observer. James died in October 2023.

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