Category: music

“I admit total bafflement and dismay at what has been done to allow the dismemberment of this superb orchestra at the height of its powers. The tactics of a lock-out have no place in the life of any artistic organization.”

A city of some 160,000 inhabitants could boast no fewer than seven full-time opera houses.

“The first face-to-face talks since January … ended abruptly Monday after management rejected pay proposals put forward by locked-out musicians. Management then announced it would cancel two November concerts by the orchestra at Carnegie Hall. Music Director Osmo Vänskä has told the board that scratching the New York concerts would force him to resign.”

“New York City Opera, created 70 years ago as the ‘people’s opera,’ expects to file for bankruptcy protection on Oct. 2 and either liquidate in court or be sold to another institution, its lawyer said.”

The Mayor “said that as he understands it, the company has been unable to attract the kind of money it needs [and that] ‘the business model doesn’t seem to be working.’ But he added that ‘city government can’t go and support all of the arts institutions … My foundation’s made up for some of it, but we have lots of other things to do, too, and we can’t just do it ourselves’.”

“For a local arts institution, large and important itself, Kickstarter cannot replace – Kickstarter can barely even supplement – local philanthropy, a strong endowment, and an economic environment kind to organizations which seek to be ‘of the people’.”

“Over 100 German state and local orchestras have gone on strike, protesting against the steady decrease in jobs for orchestral musicians around the country. It is the biggest organised protest for German classical music since the 1950s.”

“What I kind of have to keep reminding everybody here is that we’re all makers of music. Which is not the same as playing the music of someone who lived 200 years ago, in some state of perfection. It’s actually about putting yourself out there right now and making a whole bunch of choices, and every choice might fail. You know?”

“Musicians in the Toledo Symphony have approved a contract that calls for compensation reductions ranging from 5 to 20 percent.”

“To the singers and musicians who make up the backbone of the company, it would mean a loss of performing traditions, the disappearance of another company that gives performers work, and farewells to colleagues who have grown close over the years.”