It’s not easy to be a musician these days, even in New York City, which is often considered the land of opportunity for jobs in the arts. Freelance opportunities still haven’t reached prerecession levels, and even the city’s largest musical organizations are hurting for ticket sales. Last year the New York City Opera closed its doors after failing to generate enough revenue for several seasons.[icopyright one button toolbar]
Now the Metropolitan Opera itself is hurting, even though it’s one of the most renowned opera companies in the world. The Met’s ticket sales have been dwindling for several years, and this year contracts are up with 15 different unions that represent Met artists. The Met’s orchestra, chorus and stage are tied to these contracts, but they likely won’t be happy with the opera’s terms for renewal. The Met plans to cut pay about 17 percent and reduce retirement benefits. If the unions and workers do not agree to these terms, as many expect they won’t, it could lead to a strike and/or lockout. Here are further details about the possible strike, and how it could affect musicians, audience members and the Met’s future.
Strikes Don’t Bode Well for Musicians
Strikes are definitely a last resort for musicians, as they not only take a financial toll but also hurt the future of a musical organization. Any time doors close at a concert hall, ticket sales are usually lower for several seasons to come. This isn’t just true for music, either. Even professional baseball teams reported much lower-than-usual revenue after the league strike in the 1994-1995 season. If even professional sports teams have difficulty coming back from a closure, how can classical music, which has a much smaller audience, expect to make a full recovery?
Canceled concerts can lead to a company permanently closing its doors, which was seen in the New York City Opera’s bankruptcy last year. The company stopped performances while its facilities were under construction in the 2008-2009 season. Initially, it seemed like fortune had smiled on the opera; although their building repair estimate was much higher than what a standard one might be, a generous donor pledged $100 million cover the cost. Unfortunately, ticket sales never reached preconstruction levels when the doors reopened. This is actually fairly common in the music world. Often, once people have to do without seeing their favorite group perform for a little while, they find a way to live without it.
The Met is no stranger to strikes, but if the past is any indication, even a partial closure could damage the company for years to come. The Met had strikes in 1969 and 1980, and the box office reported much lower-than-usual sales in subsequent seasons. This could set an already hurting company back even further. Already, rumors of a strike have caused subscribers to hold off on buying tickets for the upcoming season.
Criticism of Peter Gelb
Amid rumors of a strike, some union members have expressed dissatisfaction with the Met’s general manager, Peter Gelb. Gelb has said he must find a way to reduce costs in the midst of lower revenue, and cutting back salaries seems like the most logical decision at this point. However, many are saying Gelb is not doing enough to prevent a strike, and at least one union, the American Federation of Musicians, is openly questioning his leadership. The AMF is suggesting Gelb himself may be at fault for lowered ticket sales.
In the past few seasons, Gelb has staged a number of nontraditional productions, such as a version of “Rigoletto” set in Las Vegas in the 1960s. Many of these productions have received mixed reviews, both from critics and audience members. However, for the AMF to question Gelb’s productions is not good for music. If the musicians themselves are saying the Met’s productions aren’t good, why should audience members feel they’re worth attending?
While it’s still too early to tell exactly how a strike will affect the Met, there’s little hope any good could come out of it. Hopefully, the company will find a way to work out contracts with the musicians, as a hurting Met just doesn’t bode well for the future of classical music in America.
Image by Ralph Daily