Musicians Protest Pittsburgh Ballet’s Recordings

Union musicians in Pittsburgh plan a four-day protest of live music to demonstrate against Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre’s decision to replace its ochestra with recorded music. “Pittsburgh Ballet announced the elimination of the orchestra during unsuccessful negotiations with the musicians this past summer. The company says the move will save $551,000, which is in keeping with its overall 2005-06 budget of $6.4 million, down $1 million from the previous season. In January, PBT had a deficit of nearly $1 million.”