The BSO is back, just the way you left it — and you won’t have to wear a mask to get in either, though unvaccinated patrons are advised to wear masks in accordance with CDC guidelines.
For those who enjoy the relatively staid approach that the BSO has settled into with Nelsons on the podium, the 2021-22 season will be a welcome homecoming.
However, for those who were wondering what transformations may have been triggered amid the events of the past year — the pandemic; the renewed attention paid to racism in America; the BSO’s refreshingly vibrant virtual concert programs and online offerings such as the “Us: Sessions” collaboration with local hip-hop band STL GLD; and the long-brewing industrywide discussions around a more inclusive vision of what classical music and the concert experience could be — it may feel as if nothing happened since the day Symphony Hall shuttered.
It remains to be seen what will happen when incoming president and CEO Gail Samuel takes the reins from Mark Volpe, whose retirement goes into effect June 20.
This is not to say that there is any dearth of concerts worth the price of admission this season.