Arizona Opera Orchestra Musicians Association Blog: 4/1/08

It's Official - We Have a New Contract!

After 17 long months of preparation and negotiation, we are happy to report that AZOOMA, the Arizona Opera Board Chair and Executive Committee have all ratified our new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Full details of the agreement may be found at our main web site.

In brief:

AZOOMA has secured a long-term commitment through the 2011-2012 season. It is a three-year agreement with a side letter that includes two additional years of "right of first refusal."

The agreement includes a wage-freeze for two years and a very modest wage increase in the third year in the face of the opera's financial struggles.

Continue reading "It's Official - We Have a New Contract!"

Fare Well Old Friend

The 2007-2008 Arizona Opera season is winding down, and after Saturday evening's Arizona Opera performance of "La Traviata," the Maestro, musicians and opera administrators gathered to wish a fond farewell to comrade Keith Johnson. After 33 years as Principal Horn, Keith has decided to move on and enjoy his retirement.

A post-performance party gave all the opportunity to express gratitude. After generous remarks about the musicianship and professionalism of the orchestra in general, Maestro Joel Revzen for example, offered fond words of appreciation to Keith Johnson, acknowledging Keith's long record of outstanding service.

A spontaneous and prolonged round of applause followed.

Last spring, Keith retired from his post as a professor at the University of Arizona, a post he held since the Fall of 1975. Before coming to Tucson, he taught in colleges and universities in Texas, Indiana, and Florida, as well as public schools in California and Minnesota.

His professional performance experience has included work in symphony orchestras, recording studios, opera productions, and brass and wind chamber music. In addition, he has performed solo recitals and given master classes and clinics throughout the country.

As principal horn with Arizona Opera, Keith has been performing in the opera orchestra since its very early days. While we will sorely miss Keith, his sage presence and his solid musicianship, all of us wish him the very best in his retirement.

U of A Retirement Bash (2007)

Continue reading "Fare Well Old Friend"

Local Issues Can Have National Impact

Consultant Drew McManus has noted today that as time goes on, more and more musician associations are using the Internet to broadcast their messages and empower their causes.

In Columbus, the patrons have taken the bull by the horns and have launched their own website to support its local orchestra during its difficult times. The situation there is complicated and as noted both here and at a recent Adaptistration.com blog, the traditional press sometimes hinders rather than helps the process.

In south Florida, a local arts critic has aimed blunt criticisms at certain individuals in the Florida Grand Opera (FGO). This season he has called for the conductor of the FGO's orchestra to resign or be fired, and he has heaved a great deal of criticism on the orchestra, and in particular its principal horn (who has acted as the orchestra's contractor).

The situation there is also quite complicated. An ongoing dialog continues at the Miami Herald which illustrates the volatility and confusion.

The musicians are fighting to be recognized by the FGO as a unionized bargaining unit to begin collective bargaining talks. The FGO so far, has refused to speak directly to the musicians and does so only through its lawyer. The FGO wishes only to outsource its musicians rather than engage a dedicated orchestra. The FGO musicians have responded by leafleting its audience and by launching a website.

Many musician unions have recognized the value of the Web as an excellent means to get the word out. (A full list may be found here.). One wonders what would happen if every musician association had its own web site.

In support of this, AZOOMA webmaster Bruce Hembd has written an article, "Using the Web to Empower Your Union," to offer advice to musician associations on how to get started. On his own personal blog, Bruce has waxed philosophically on the more general concept of narcissism in the Arts and its effect on interpersonal and union relationships.

These web sites and blogs clearly illustrate that local labor issues, which at one time were like little secrets known only to insiders, are getting wider attention from the general public. As the Internet flourishes, these local issues are gaining a broader scope and a wider audience.

Continue reading "Local Issues Can Have National Impact"

Juan Diego Flórez sings "Ah! Mes Amis"

If you are an opera fan, this must be seen.

Video at the NY Times, Juan Diego Flórez in dress rehearsal.

Continue reading "Juan Diego Flórez sings "Ah! Mes Amis""

Victory on the High C's

The lead tenor role in Donizetti's comic opera "Daughter of the Regiment," which made a star of Luciano Pavarotti in the 1970's, is known for its plethora of high C's. Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez as the lovesick Tonio brought the Metropolitan Opera crowd to its feet late in Act 1 on Monday night by sailing through the nine high Cs in the aria, "Pour mon ame."

He then did it a second time as an immediate encore.

That's eighteen high C's - an amazing feat of vocal control and mastery.

Tod Machover and the Future of Music

Tod Machover (the brain behind Guitar Hero) of the MIT Media Lab gives a fascinating 20-minute lecture/demonstration on new frontiers in music, including a new opera, "Death and the Powers."

Continue reading "Tod Machover and the Future of Music"

Florida Grand Opera Fires Orchestra Redux

A recent article in the Miami Herald appears to confirm that the Florida Grand Opera has indeed opted to not renew its contract with its orchestra contractor, Sunset Entertainment.

Far from wrong, Mr. Johnson seems to have scooped the story and has gotten it absolutely right. His scoop however does raise some questions from an outsider's perspective.

Where did Mr. Johnson get the scoop from?
Why did the musician's union have the impression that Mr. Johnson's scoop was incorrect?

Your thoughts?

Continue reading "Florida Grand Opera Fires Orchestra Redux"

Old Rivals Unite in Cleveland

A recent article in Cleveland's newspaper The Plain Dealer chronicles the recent ups and downs at Opera Cleveland. A revolving door in administration has added an extra dramatic element.

"It seems like we've been dealing with one crisis after another or searching for new leadership," said Pauline Ramig, who recently took over as Opera Cleveland's board president.

Opera Cleveland is a merger operation between two former rivals - Cleveland Opera (founded in 1976) and the "feisty" Lyric Opera (founded in 1974). The merger came about as a solution to solve major deficit issues in both companies.

Their first season as a joint venture has reportedly been rocky. Troubles began when the board disagreed on repertoire for the new company. Cuts in administration soon followed to cut some red tape - slicing the operating budget by one million dollars. Staff has been reduced and administrative positions are being combined. Tensions still exist between factions of the rival companies who now work together for a common cause.

In spite of these setbacks, the clouds appear to be clearing. Trustee donations are being increased and operating deficits are being reduced. Dean Williamson, a long-time staff member of Seattle Opera, has recently jumped on board as Artistic Director.

Speight Jenkins, general director of Seattle Opera, said Williamson is the most brilliant accompanist he's ever encountered, a favorite with musicians and a natural opera conductor.

"If you're going to be a good opera conductor, you prepare the orchestra but keep your eyes on the stage," says Jenkins. "All the great conductors who are great opera conductors do that, " adds Jenkins. "Dean did that from the beginning. He's really remarkable in our business. The number of singers who respect him is immense."

Looking ahead, board president Pauline Ramig remarks that "we're dreaming of the future, but we'll realize only what we can afford."

More of this story...

Continue reading "Old Rivals Unite in Cleveland"

Six Degrees of AZOOMA

Ordered in a free-associative manner - similar to the popular trivia game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon - six general topics address current issues of interest in the classical music community, from famous opera houses to the Florida Grand Opera Orchestra.

At Bloomberg.com, an new 800 million dollar opera house opening in Oslo, Norway is described as resembling a sloping iceberg. A monumental structure, it took five years to build and it looks pretty darn cool. Their main web site (in Norwegian) is also pretty cool.

>>>>>> OPERA HOUSES

The world-famous Sydney Opera House is known for its unique exterior that resembles a huge sea shell. A few days ago, celebrants sang "Happy Birthday" to Jorn Utzon, the Danish architect who created the famous harbor-side building, to celebrate his 90th birthday. While the original design was put to paper back in 1957, the building was not completed until 1973.

Less known is the interior of the house, which Mr. Utzon has described as a "black hole." Recent plans have been announced to remedy this with a 700 million dollar makeover.

>>>>> THINGS AUSTRALIAN

Australian-born conductor Antony Walker created some opera history recently when he stepped in for an ailing tenor. By the fourth act of "Aida" tenor Vladimir Kuzmenko had lost his voice. Rather than canceling the show, Mr. Kuzmenko acted out his part on stage while Mr. Walker sang Kuzmenko's part of Ramses from the pit.

In 2007, Maestro Walker was a guest conductor in an Arizona Opera production of "Madame Butterfly." He was well-revered by the musicians not only for his singing voice, but also his congenial manner and superb stick and rehearsal techniques.

>>>> CONDUCTORS

At our webmaster's personal blog, a top-ten list of conductor "do's and dont's" has been recently posted. Inspired by a dialogue at Polyphonic.org, Mr. Hembd offers some basic advice for conductors at any level - from the novice to the professional. He has previously posted a similar top-ten list for musicians who are new to a job or freelance scene.

>>> FREELANCE MUSICIANS

Quite a few online resources delve into the life of freelance musicians.

Jason Heath has a very detailed ten-part series titled "Road Warrior Without an Expense Account" which should be required reading for every aspiring musician. Our own Katie Black Shields offers a humorous look in "How to Be An Opera String Player." Other AZOOMA blogs and articles on this topic include "Gigging as a Music Freelancer," "On the Road Again" and "There's No Place Like Home."

>> HOME

A topic of great interest to AZOOMA musicians is the current plight of the Florida Grand Opera Orchestra Musicians who are looking to secure their jobs with the Florida Grand Opera. They have recently OK'd union representation, but the Opera refuses to deal with them directly and speaks only through its lawyer, asserting that they are not the musicians' employer.

A reporter at the Miami Herald has been particularly harsh with criticisms of the orchestra and its conductor. This is reminiscent of recent reporting at the Columbus Dispatch where gonzo journalism appears to have taken the place of objective reporting.

The FGO musicians have created a list of their own - Opera Statistics from Top 15 Metro Areas - where Arizona Opera Orchestra is listed. This list elicits thoughts of the "global community" concept where local issues have a wider impact beyond the constraints of locale - especially in the age of the Internet where it is indeed a small world.

Thinking globally and acting locally, AZOOMA extends its sincere wishes for success to the FGO musicians in their uphill struggle for job security.

> AZOOMA

Continue reading "Six Degrees of AZOOMA"

Bombs Away

British critic and author Norman Lebrecht really, really doesn't like Herbert von Karajan, one of the most renowned orchestra and opera conductors of the 20th century. Mr. Lebrecht assigns all sorts of blame on Karajan for ruining the classical music recording industry and holds back no pejoratives in the process.

At the 100-year anniversary mark for Karajan's birth Mr. Lebrecht, who is known for his carpet bombing rhetoric on perceived evils of the classical music business, has launched yet another salvo in a recent article in the British paper, The Independent.

Calling Karajan an autocratic opportunist who capitalized on anything and anyone - including the Nazi party - to advance his career and pocketbook, Mr. Lebrecht concludes that while Karajan was a "brilliant organizer," he "crushed independence and creativity" in the world of classical music.

Mention Norman Lebrecht's name and you are bound to inspire great admiration or great loathing, depending on which topic being discussed.

He has strongly criticized bloggers and the classical music blogging community. "Classical blogs are spreading but their nutritional value is lower than a bag of crisps," Lebrecht writes.

In any case, his latest article on Karajan does provide for some entertaining reading.

Other Resources:

Continue reading "Bombs Away"

In the Eye of the Beholder

Arts critic Lawrence A. Johnson of the Miami Herald makes his opinions loud and clear. On the one hand, this is the duty of a critic - to call it as s/he sees it.

On the other hand the opposing opinions of other press critics and representatives from the musician's union, as well as comments made by the general public make one wonder - to what purpose is Mr. Johnson's campaign against the Florida Grand Opera's orchestra?

A Sun-Sentinel review of Florida Grand Opera's January production of the Bizet's "Pearl Fishers" appears to contradict assertions made by Mr. Johnson that the orchestra "has come in for harsh criticism this season."

An excerpt from Lawrence Budman's personal web site states:

"Long a champion of French opera, Stewart Robertson conducted with unflagging momentum and masterfully delineated Bizet’ s elegantly colored wind and string writing. The Florida Classical Orchestra played with clarity and refinement and Katherine Kozak’s chorus was often thrilling. Bizet’s gentle Gallic felicities were beguilingly painted in sight and sound."

Mr. Budman's review - published in Miami's Sun-Sentinel on January 26th - makes no mention of "harsh criticism" or a "substandard" orchestra. On the contrary, this excerpt is a fairly positive commentary on the Florida Classical Orchestra and its abilities.

In a review of the very same production, Mr. Johnson harshly notes that Maestro Robinson's "plodding direction seemed to be taking place in a parallel universe oblivious to the singers on stage, and his listless conducting continues to exert an enervating effect on the company's performances."

Did these critics see the same show?

In an scathing review of FGO's "Cosi fan tutti" last November, Mr. Johnson puts the blame squarely on music director Stewart Robertson for a "fatally handicapped" production calling Mr. Robertson's leadership "uninspired" and "tepid." In the same review, he bluntly attacks the principal horn with sarcastic gusto.

Reader comments in response to Mr. Johnson's review make for interesting reading. (Other reader comments related to Mr. Johnson's reviews may be found here.)

In a January 18th article announcing a new orchestra (the Florida Symphony), Mr. Johnson attempts to draw a direct connection between it and the Florida Grand Opera (FGO). He strongly implies that the Florida Orchestra may replace the current orchestra (which has recently organized itself for union representation).

Representatives from the FGO make no comments to confirm or deny Mr. Johnson's claims. ''We don't have any comment to make about our orchestra arrangements at this time,'' said Justin Moss, managing director for marketing and communication. This does not seem to phase Mr. Johnson however in making assertions and implications to the contrary.

Again, the readership comments in response to this article are worth investigating.

New York Times critic Vivien Schweitzer in a review of the 2007 premiere production of David Carlson’s “Anna Karenina” in the spiffy Ziff Ballet Opera House mentions a "well-crafted lyrical score, ably conducted by the Florida Grand Opera’s music director, Stewart Robertson." There is no mention of poor conducting or poor horn playing.

Mr. Johnson has labeled the quality of the orchestra "substandard" and trumpets that it has come under "harsh criticism." He also has called for the end of Stewart Robinson's tenure as music director.

Yet, he appears to be alone in these observations and this beckons the question - what on earth is going on at the Miami Herald?

Continue reading "In the Eye of the Beholder"

A Shell Game Exposed

This story has been updated.

In a previous AZOOMA blog, "Florida Grand Opera Fires Orchestra," a story was posted based on an article from the Miami Herald. As it turns out the Herald story got the facts wrong - and consequently so did we. However, the Herald may have done so with purpose, according to sources in the American Federation of Musicians (AFM).

Representatives from the South Florida Musicians Association Local 655 (SFMA), claim that Miami Herald reporter Lawrence A. Johnson has an agenda against the opera orchestra and its conductor. In a March 3rd article spelling out details on FGO’s 2008-2009 season, Mr. Johnson writes this aside in the final paragraphs:

In related news, FGO has confirmed that the company will not renew its contract with the Florida Classical Orchestra next season.
The substandard quality of the orchestra, contracted through Sunset Entertainment of Delray Beach, has come in for harsh criticism this season.
[Justin] Moss [Managing Director of Marketing and Communication] said that the company is exploring alternatives for next season. ''We have many options that we are pursuing,'' Moss said.

According to the SFMA, the Opera has denied this statement. They claim that the Herald critic has a "mission to personally attack the Opera, its music director, and the orchestra and is also known to have printed statements for which there is no documented proof.”

To those acquainted with the current situation in Columbus, this may sound familiar. A story in the Columbus Dispatch reported incorrect facts on contract negotiations that in effect, threw buckets of gasoline on the flames. This story has been widely disputed by the Columbus musicians and Internet arts bloggers such as Drew McManus, Charles Noble and Robert Levine. Orchestra management and musicians in Columbus later agreed to a press blackout, but this did not seem to stop the Dispatch from editorializing the issue even further.

Sometimes eager news reporters intentionally exaggerate facts or even inflame situations to create a story rather than provide fair, objective coverage. So it appears to be in the competitive age of "if it bleeds, it leads" reporting - even if the story is based on fabricated or misleading information (as it seems to be the case in Columbus and in Florida).

The truth of the matter in Florida is that the opera musicians have performed for FGO consistently since 2001, and have been the exclusive pit orchestra for FGO since 2003. The musicians last January announced to FGO that they had obtained the orchestra's permission for union representation through the American Federation of Musicians' Local 655.

The FGO however asserts that they are not the musicians' employer and have refused to speak with the union, except through an attorney.

Currently the musicians receive compensation through a third party, Sunset Entertainment, which has advertised the ensemble as the "Florida Classical Orchestra." Sunset Entertainment acts as a third-party contractor for several companies in south Florida, including various symphony, opera, Broadway and ballet productions.

It is interesting to note that as of a few weeks ago the "Florida Classical Orchestra" was prominently displayed on the main Sunset Entertainment website. Now the orchestra is only to be found via an indirect Google search. In their apparent zeal to erase the orchestra from existence, Sunset Entertainment neglected to remove the orchestra's pages from their host server.

This third-party arrangement through Sunset Entertainment appears to be the basis for FGO's claim to not be an employer for the musicians. SFMA representatives call this "a typical shell game played by musical organizations in south Florida." Using third-party contractors is a "back door" tactic for employers to circumvent collective bargaining. The majority of services for the "Florida Classical Orchestra" were for Florida Grand Opera, whom the SFMA believes is a joint employer, if not the actual employer.

In their attempts to organize the FGO musicians and break free of Sunset Entertainment, SFMA anticipates a legal battle to prove that FGO does indeed control the musicians' workplace. SFMA also believes that FGO may be making plans to replace the current orchestra with an entirely different orchestra next season.

With the recent demise of the Florida Philharmonic and Boca Pops, the Palm Beach Opera (a ROPA orchestra) is the only contracted orchestra left standing in south Florida. SFMA hopes to prevent FGO from becoming another per-service, "pick-up" orchestra.

As our own AZOOMA website points out, other major metropolitan areas' opera companies have separate and dedicated pit orchestras and south Florida, asserts SFMA, should be no exception.

SFMA is asking the general public for letters sent to FGO requesting that they recognize Local 655 as the bargaining agent for the opera musicians who are exercising their legal right to collectively bargain.

Please send letters of support for the musicians to:
oc@fgomusicians.org

Please direct letters requesting voluntary recognition to:
Robert Heuer, General Director & CEO
FLORIDA GRAND OPERA
Doral Center
8390 NW 25th Street
Miami, FL 33122-1504

Continue reading "A Shell Game Exposed"

Stepping Up From the Pit

Funny, unexpected things can happen at the opera.

Stage props can drop and roll into the pit. Lights go out. Fire alarms can go off.

Sometimes a lead singer falls ill or loses their voice. Many companies hire understudies or have backup plans for when this happens. In recent performances of Tristan and Isolde at the Met, the lead singers almost seemed cursed to not perform together until the final performance. Backup singers were used for all but one show.

A recent performance at the Pittsburgh Opera has raised the bar. Tenor Vladimir Kuzmenko came down with an illness that also sidelined mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe*. Pittsburgh Opera management decided to fly in a tenor to sing the role if Mr. Kuzmenko couldn't make it through the performance. But the backup tenor's flight was delayed and Mr. Kuzmenko lost his voice by the end of the third of four acts.

What do you do?

Fortunately for Pittsburgh Opera, Maestro Antony Walker is a tenor. His skills as an accomplished conductor and singer were made clear to AZOOMA last year when he guest conducted Arizona Opera's production of "Madame Butterfly."

Mr. Walker's good nature, productive and concise rehearsal techniques and superb conducting skills were appreciated by all in the opera orchestra.

Read the rest of the story on the drama in Pittsburgh here:

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08093/869798-388.stm

*UPDATE 4.4.08:
The mezzo-soprano mentioned in this blog, Stephanie Blythe, is a regular at Arizona Opera. Her most recent performance as Prince Orlofsky in "Die Fledermaus" was a huge hit.

UPDATE 4.5.08
A brief notice in the New Tork Times.

Continue reading "Stepping Up From the Pit"

Agreement Goes "International"

The recent tentative agreement between the management and musicians of Arizona Opera has been chronicled in the April issue of the trade paper for the American Federation of Musicians. On page nine of the International Musician, a short article announces the tentative agreement and spells out some of the details, which include wage freezes and compromised mileage compensation.

The article points out that an enormous amount if teamwork was involved during these marathon negotiations, as the musicians of the Arizona Opera live in various parts of the state. Commitee Chair Nathan Mitchell comments that "everybody was on the same team and was willing to bend over backwards." Local 586 Secretary-Treasurer Madelyn Roberts noted the "extreme solidarity in this group" and that musicians "felt that this was a fight worth fighting."

AFM Negotiator Nathan Kahn was recognized for his expertise and assistance.

The musicians will be taking their ratification vote in mid-April during the next opera cycle. The ratification process is the final step in making the agreement official.

Continue reading "Agreement Goes "International""