France's minister of culture has said the government is "preparing for a reopening of cultural venues as quickly as possible" but only once a noticeable "decline" In the spread of the coronavirus is seen in France.
Speaking on Monday, Roselyne Bachelot refused to give a precise date for when theaters, galleries and museums could welcome visitors again, saying only that "deadlines can at any time be called into question by an extremely elusive and unstable health situation."
The directors of the Opera de Paris, the company that runs the famous Palais Garnier and Bastille opera houses in the French capital, also spoke out on Monday, with an online press statement.
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In 2020, the Opera canceled 145 shows, costing the management about $30 million to reimburse people who had bought tickets.
It revealed that it is going to be running a budget deficit in 2021 of approximately $25 million.
The Opera has moved a lot of its activity online and has had some success streaming shows.
It also received a $49 million boost in support from the government last year.
But the overall picture is not positive, with the Opera management admitting the business has been very severely disrupted by the effects of the pandemic.
"Of course, our activity has been greatly impacted and also even so far this year we have had to cancel several shows and a ballet," said Alexander Neef, the director of the Paris Opera.
"But the rehearsals of new productions are still going ahead under strict sanitary conditions. Everyone has to be tested, wear a mask and respect the basic coronavirus guidelines."
Paris Opera dancers perform at the Palais Garnier during a dress rehearsal of 'Giselle' just as the pandemic was gathering momentum in January 2020. Lionel Bonaventure/AFP
Average new daily COVID-19 infections in France are hovering around 20,000 at the moment.
The French government set a target last year of trying to average around 5,000 new cases a day – ministers said that if health indicators reached that level, then it would be able to reopen the hospitality and culture sectors.
The closure of France's culture industry does not just mean that some theaters and cinemas are shut.
Some of the world's most famous venues, such as the the Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay art galleries are closed.
And historic monuments are shut as well, meaning no visitors to the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe.
The director of the dance department at the Opera, Aurelie Dupont, said that "the dance company, like everyone working here at the Opera can't wait to see the public come back."
Adding: "Dancers do realize their luck at being able to work every day, which other artists in the world might not be able to do.
"We are doing our best to be ready for when venues open again and we miss our audience very much.”
Cultural venues have been closed for more than three months since they were shut again for the second national lockdown, imposed in France last fall.