Coronavirus Comeback

Bass Hall ticketholders now must show negative COVID test or volunteer vaccine card

If you want to get in, you'll have to follow the rules.

Photo courtesy of Bass Performance Hall

Patrons who queued up outside Bass Hall for opening night of Cats on November 16 had one extra stop before they could zip inside for a quick pre-show Grizzabella cocktail: They had to show a recent negative COVID-19 test result or proof of COVID-19 vaccination.

It's a new requirement that Fort Worth's premier performing arts organization instituted November 1 — after its first big Broadway show of the season, Come From Away.

"Effective November 1, 2021, all patrons ages 12 and older will be required to show either proof of a negative COVID-19 test result or voluntarily provide proof of vaccination, and photo identification," PAFW explains under a section called New Entry Requirements on the website.

Although Cats ticketholders had received information and email reminders about the new requirements, it caught some by surprise — especially since all patrons are still required to wear face masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

As of November 17, the Tarrant County Public Health Department rates COVID-19 community spread level as "substantial."

“As the owner and operator of Bass Performance Hall, Performing Arts Fort Worth continues to follow industry safety guidelines and applicable laws for reopening performing arts centers," explains Dione Kennedy, PAFW president and CEO. "The health and safety of our patrons, staff, volunteers, and artists is our top priority.

"We are joining performing arts centers nationwide in an earnest effort to keep the industry alive while navigating the ongoing challenging conditions imposed by COVID-19. As a result, we are implementing changes to meet the rapidly changing conditions, guidance and recommended best practices."

According to PAFW's website, complete requirements for entry are:

Proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the event (Antigen or PCR test). "Proof of a negative test must come directly from a healthcare provider that performs COVID-19 tests and clearly display your name, date, and result. Proof can be displayed on your smartphone or by presenting a physical copy."

Voluntary proof of full COVID-19 vaccination. "Patrons who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (at least 14 days after final dose of Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson) may voluntarily provide proof of vaccination as a substitute for a negative COVID test result. Full COVID-19 vaccination means the day of the event is at least 14-days after your final vaccine dose. Proof of vaccination must come directly from a healthcare provider that performs vaccinations and clearly displays your name and date of 2nd dose. Proof can be displayed on your smartphone or by presenting a physical copy."

The new entry requirements apply to all patrons ages 12 and older, and patrons ages 18 and older must bring a photo ID that matches the name on the test result or vaccine card. Guests younger than 18 without ID must be accompanied by an adult with proper identification.

Additionally, masks/face coverings are still required in all areas of the venue regardless of vaccination status, including inside the theater during the performance. They must be worn over both the mouth and nose.

It's a bit confusing, as spokespeople for Bass Hall say the actual requirement is a negative test, not proof of vaccination, even though they are stated "either/or" and listed equally bold, under "requirements."

"The entry requirement is a negative test," a spokesman says. "In lieu of that requirement, patrons have the option to voluntarily provide proof of vaccination if they choose not to present a negative test.

"We are providing an option of voluntary proof of vaccination in lieu of the negative test."

A spokeswoman tells CultureMap that if a patron arrives and isn’t able to provide a negative test and does not want to voluntarily provide proof of vaccine, they have partnered with a mobile healthcare provider that specializes in onsite screening tests, to conduct COVID-19 testing for patrons prior to performances.

(If you're confused about what you're required to voluntarily do, or what happens if you don't want to do an on-site test, maybe just best to call them.)

PAFW also recently introduced contactless ticketing via a smartphone app (so patrons should have their phones ready to show after their vaccine card and ID).

For more information on the new entry requirements, click here.

The new rules now apply to PAFW and three out of four Bass Hall "resident companies" — Texas Ballet Theater, Fort Worth Opera, and the Cliburn.

The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra is not requiring negative tests or proof of vaccination for performances at this time, but is continuing to require masks and follow CDC guidelines, a FWSO spokeswoman confirms. A statement on the FWSO website reads, in part, "While some venues are requiring a negative PCR test or voluntary proof of vaccination status, the FWSO will continue to require only that patrons wear masks in the performance chamber at all times — without these additional requirements."

So, in useful list form, that means in the next few weeks, if you're heading to Bass Hall for:

Cats — pack your vax card/negative test
FWSO "Home for the Holidays" concert — no need for vax card/negative test
Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis' Holiday Shindig — vax card/negative test
FWSO "Hadelich’s Mendelssohn: Debussy, Mendelssohn and Brahms" — no vax card/negative test
The Nutcracker — vax card/negative test
The Gatlin Brothers and Crystal Gayle - Holiday & Hits — vax card/negative test
Robert Earl Keen's "The Road to Christmas" — vax card/negative test
FWSO "Swing is the Thing" — no vax card/negative test

Any performances in which the new rules of entry are not enforced will not offer some of the same amenities, such as food and beverage service, a PAFW spokeswoman says.

Kennedy says they'll continue to monitor local COVID-19 conditions.

"As conditions or laws change, so may protocols and guidelines," she says.

concerts theater health

Ancient Sculpture News

Fort Worth museum one of only 3 in U.S. to get rare sculpture exhibit

Lorenzo di Masi/Torlonia Collection

The Torlonia Nile

A major exhibition of ancient Roman masterworks is coming to the U.S. for the first time to be viewed at only three museums — including the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth.

Called Myth and Marble: Ancient Roman Sculpture from the Torlonia Collection, it's an assemblage of works stewarded by the Torlonia Family beginning in the early-19th century, and will be installed at the Kimbell from September 14, 2025 – January 25, 2026.

As part of the Foundation’s mission to showcase these historical works to the public, the exhibition will premiere at the Art Institute of Chicago on March 15 through June 29, before traveling to the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth. Its third stop will be at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, from March 14 - July 19, 2026.

The Torlonia Collection was established during the course of the 19th century by the Franco-Italian banker Prince Giovanni Torlonia and his son Alessandro, then handed down over generations, eventually growing into the largest private collection of ancient Roman sculptures.

Today, the Torlonia Foundation represents the culmination of the Family’s continued passion for art. Created at the behest of Prince Alessandro Torlonia (1925–2017), the Foundation’s mission is to preserve and promote the Torlonia Collection and Villa Albani Torlonia.

In 1876, Prince Alessandro Torlonia (1800-1886) created a museum to house and exhibit the Family’s holdings, which was open to small groups until its closure at the onset of World War II. The sculptures remained unseen by the public from that time until the Foundation’s first exhibition at the Musei Capitolini in Rome in 2020. That was followed by a stint at the Louvre, the first presentation of the collection outside of Rome, where it has drawn more than 600,000 visitors to date, an unprecedented feat.

The exhibit
The curators of Myth & Marble: Ancient Roman Sculpture from the Torlonia Collection are Lisa Ayla Çakmak and Katharine A. Raff of the Art Institute of Chicago. The exhibition is co-organized by the Art Institute of Chicago and the Torlonia Foundation, in collaboration with the Kimbell Art Museum, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and The Museum Box. All of the sculptures in the exhibition have been restored by the Foundation with the support of Bvlgari.

The exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue co-published by the Art Institute of Chicago and the Torlonia Foundation, edited by Lisa Ayla Çakmak and Katharine A. Raff, with essays by Silvia Beltrametti and Salvatore Settis.

The North American presentation will feature 58 highlights from the Torlonia Collection, including 24 newly restored works that have not been on view in nearly a century. The sculptures date from approximately the 5th century BCE to the early 4th century CE, with the majority of the works dating to the High Imperial period (1st–2nd centuries CE). Highlights include examples of the most emblematic genres of ancient marble sculpture, acquired by the Torlonia Family from the most prominent collections of Rome’s patrician families, as well as from excavations made on the Family’s own estates throughout Italy.

“The Foundation is excited to be sharing the Torlonia Collection with audiences in North America for the first time. This exceptional group of ancient sculptures is a testament to the enduring cultural legacy of ancient Rome, as well as the vision and passion of multiple generations of the Torlonia Family,” said Alessandro Poma Murialdo, President of the Torlonia Foundation.

The presentation is organized thematically in six sections, featuring sculptures found on the Torlonia Family’s properties in Rome and the surrounding suburbs and their estate in Porto, Portugal, as well as a number of exceptional sarcophagi (stone coffins), among the largest sculpted works in marble to survive from ancient Rome.

The tour reinforces the work of the Foundation to advance the appreciation and understanding of this unparalleled collection and the rich cultural heritage it represents. The Foundation’s mission is carried out through a continuous joint effort between the public and private sectors, including with the cooperation of the Italian Ministry of Culture. The Foundation is supported by a longstanding collaboration with Bvlgari as the principal sponsor of the restoration project since its inception in Rome and throughout the global tour, and Chiomenti, who has lent invaluable support to the Foundation’s core activities.

galleries