Philadelphia Orchestra's Carnegie concert canceled

A stagehand strike has forced the cancellation of Carnegie Hall's Wednesday night black-tie gala season-opener, at which the Philadelphia Orchestra was to have been the featured ensemble.

The stagehands, represented by Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, were working under a contract that expired Aug. 31, and called a strike at 8 a.m., according to a union statement.

"Carnegie Hall sincerely regrets any inconvenience this strike will cause our artists, concertgoers, and everyone with whom we work," said Clive Gillinson, executive and artistic Director of Carnegie Hall. "We are disappointed that, despite the fact that the stagehands have one of the most lucrative contracts in the industry, they are now seeking to expand their jurisdiction beyond the concert hall and into the new Education Wing in ways that would compromise Carnegie Hall's education mission. There is no precedent for this anywhere in New York City."

Calls to IATSE's Local One were not immediately returned.

The concert was to have been led by music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, with violinist Joshua Bell and vocalist/double bassist Esperanza Spalding. They will not be performing at a $1,500-per-ticket dinner at the Waldorf Astoria, but will be invited as guests, a Carnegie Hall spokesman said.

Instead of performing a black-tie concert at Carnegie Hall, the orchestra and its music director will take to the stage of Verizon Hall for a free 6:30 "pop-up" performance. The informal, 75-minute concert, with no intermission, will include works of Mozart and Tchaikovsky. Before the concert, in Commonwealth Plaza, audience members will have chance to conduct a small groups of musicians, and one will be chosen to conduct the orchestra in its Verizon Hall concert.

Three more Philadelphia Orchestra Carnegie Hall concerts are planned this season. The orchestra did not immediately return phone calls. Carnegie Hall also lost its Novemeber concerts by the Minnesota Orchestra when contract negotiations with musicians failed to end a year-long labor dispute, and conductor Osmo Vänskä resigned.