Faced with the critical economic situation due to the health emergency, London's iconic Royal Opera House theater plans to sell a portrait of its former director by British painter David Hockney to raise funds and deal with the financial consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, with an estimated price between 14 Y 22 millions of dollars.

As is happening with museums, centers, theaters and other cultural spaces around the world, the Royal Opera is also suffering severely from the consequences of the pandemic, since it has been closed since March, Without receiving an audience and since then for its subsistence, it calls for donations and raffles alternative ways of bringing culture closer through works and concerts via streaming.

But nevertheless, las medidas alternativas no fueron suficiente y por eso la institución decidió poner a la venta la obra pintada por el famoso artista británico David Hockney a finales de este mes como “una parte vital de [our] estrategia de recuperación”, declared the Royal, quoted by AFP news agency.

Hockney's painting, which was commissioned for the Covent Garden building in the early 1970, It's a portrait of David Webster, who directed the Royal Opera House from 1945 until 1970.

“Fue una decisión realmente difícil -dijo por su parte Alex Beard, executive director of the Royal to the Observer media, according to several international media- But we have to face the situation we find ourselves in and if we can remain viable and overcome this, entonces podemos volver a emplear personas en el futuro”.

The work of the renowned British painter, considered one of the most influential of the second half of the 20th century, will be auctioned at Christie's house on 22 October and is expected to reach between 14 Y 22 millions of dollars. “Las ganancias -agregó Beard al Observer- se utilizarán para garantizar que los mejores artistas del mundo puedan volver una vez más a nuestros escenarios”.

The Royal Opera House closed its doors at the end of March and in June it reopened but without live spectators and transmitting works over the internet, as part of a recovery plan that includes layoffs and other cuts.