The legendary Gewandhausorchester Leipzig went on strike at the weekend for the first time in their 265 year history, forcing cancellation of their scheduled concert and ballet performances. And they weren't the only ones.
After the house orchestras walked out, Land des Lächelns was performed in Münster with piano accompaniment only, as was Zauberflöte in Magdeburg and Fidelio in Duisburg.
This is just the latest and most high-profile action since pay talks for Germany's 90 state-employed opera and concert orchestras broke down in early October. (Independent orchestras like the Berlin Philharmonic aren't involved.)
The main complaint is that pay rises granted to other state theatre employees weren't extended to musicians. But orchestras are also increasingly concerned that their previous conciliatory stance has failed to protect them from job losses.
Currently, state orchestra pay is negotiated collectively across the country. But if the current problems can't be resolved by March 2009, then orchestras may have to switch to individual agreements with their state or city employers.
