Chicago Sun-Times, Friday, December 4, 2009
A scene from the Lyric Opera of Chicago production of "The Merry Widow," a show that will go on after Friday morning's contract deal with musicians.
Lyric Opera photo
Lyric Opera, musicians' union avert strike in deadline deal
A scene from the Lyric Opera of Chicago production of "The Merry Widow," a show that will go on after Friday morning's contract deal with musicians.
Lyric Opera photo
"The Merry Widow" will dance her opening night waltz as scheduled at the Civic Opera House Saturday evening.
Despite an escalating war of words between Lyric Opera of Chicago and the players committee of the company's 76-member orchestra, a possible strike by the instrumentalists has been averted less than 48 hours before members of the Chicago Federation of Musicians were set to walk out.
After an all-evening negotiation session Lyric made the following announcement just before midnight on Thursday: "Lyric management and the musicians have reached a tentative agreement. There will be no strike. No further details will be released until late Friday after ratification by the orchestra.
"All performances will proceed as planned."
Management and the players had reached an impasse over the length of a new contract and the combination of cuts, freezes and potential future raises that would satisfy both the company's demand to reduce spending in the present economy and the musicians' insistence that they share in an anticipated recovery.
The orchestra had been playing without a contract since the Lyric season opened in mid-September.
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