Dear Friends,
We are writing to let you know that the musicians of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra will not be able to perform on Opening Night, September 12, unless management has reached a fair contract with us before then. We are letting you know this weeks in advance rather than having you be surprised at the door.
Our contract expired on July 31, and the season is about to open without a new one. We came into these negotiations months ago, expecting to build on the modest agreement we reached two years ago. Management instead proposed a 26% pay cut, which would have returned us to 2015 wages. They have since "improved" that offer to a 20% cut, which would put us back at our 2018 pay. We cannot begin a season under proposals like these.
The San Francisco Opera is not a company in trouble. By management's own account, and by the financial information they have shared with us:
● Six productions have sold out in the past three years.
● Ticket sales and subscriptions are rising. Donations have increased by $8 million
compared to last year, exceeding the Opera’s stated goals by $2.2 million.
● The Opera has recently received several high-profile gifts, and the number of “Producers Circle” donors–those who contribute over $100,000 per year–has more than doubled since the pandemic.
And yet despite the recent momentum, our seasons continue to shrink—we are now down to only six productions this year, compared to twelve productions in 2008. Every round of programming cuts has been presented as the cure for the organization’s deficit. But what their own financial reports have shown is that the diminished schedule has only exacerbated the issue.
Fewer performances mean less ticket revenue and fewer production sponsorships, while the fixed costs of mounting an opera remain the same. Twice in the past two decades, the deficit was larger after the cuts than before them. And while management claims that production costs are only going to continue to increase, they refuse to explore less expensive offerings such as semi-staged productions or concert operas.
We are not walking away from the table, and we want two things. First, a contract that gives the musicians of this orchestra stability and pay that keeps pace with the cost of living in this city. Second, a working partnership with management to reverse the pattern of cuts: more performances, longer runs of the productions that sell out, and a plan to grow the company's audience and offerings rather than further reduce its ambitions.
This is not a decision we take lightly and we hope that it can be avoided by management agreeing to a fair contract. There is nowhere we would rather be on September 12 than in the pit. We ask for your support so that we can make that happen.
If you want to help, write to San Francisco Opera at PatronServices@sfopera.com, tell them what opening night is worth to you, and ask them to settle this before the curtain.
Sincerely,
The Musicians of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra
The Orchestra's most treasured relationship is the one we have with you, our audience. Our relationship is passionate and committed. In Wagner's Ring Cycle alone, we spend 14 hours together in the dark, sharing our love for extraordinary music. You, our audience, complete the cycle—one that begins with the composer, travels through the singers and musicians, and ends in the great cathedral of our War Memorial Opera House, where we experience music together.
We recently celebrated our 103rd season! It's been our privilege to bring opera of the highest quality to the Bay Area and are looking forward to the next century.
Please come and greet us over the pit wall!
We are grateful for the incredible outpouring of support we have received from the community.
If you would like to support us in our mission, we invite you to make a charitable contribution. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.
let's be friends
