S.F. Ballet secures new contract agreement ahead of 50th anniversary season
The San Francisco Ballet has reached a new contract agreement with its orchestra seven months before its current one was set to expire this year.
As part of the new three-year agreement with the American Federation of Musicians, the union that represents more than 70,000 professional musicians in the U.S and Canada, the Ballet Orchestra is able to add a new position, increasing its ranks to 50 musicians.
'S.F. Ballet's commitment to its musicians as a vital foundation upon which the Company stands is concretely expressed by this agreement,' Peter Wahrhaftig, an AFM representative and the orchestra's principal tubist, said in a statement released Monday, June 9.
He added that the contract not only helps in expanding the orchestra but also assists in attracting and retaining new players.
In December, the Ballet and its performers' union reached a two-year agreement that addressed wage increases, health and wellness provisions and staffing capacity, among other topics. The deal put an end to months of contract negotiations, with demands prompted by concerns about the wellbeing of dancers and an increase in workers' compensation claims.
The Ballet is currently facing lawsuits from two dancers who claim that they endured permanent injuries after being forced to perform through pain.
AFM's new contract with the Ballet comes at a time where labor negotiations continue to be contentious among several arts organizations, including at the San Francisco Symphony. Dozens of Symphony musicians and choristers have staged several protests over compensation, artistic direction and financial transparency.
These tensions have been heightened by the looming departure of Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, who cited disagreements with the board as his reason for leaving after his last performance with the Symphony on Saturday, June 14.
In May, Symphony musicians staged a demonstration outside Davies Symphony Hall ahead of a sold-out screening and live orchestral performance of the soundtrack from 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.'
The Ballet has had a smoother, shorter negotiation process, which Wahrhaftig called 'unprecedented.' He credited it to the 'strong, long-standing relationship' between musicians and management.
In addition to ratifying the new contract, the institution announced it received a 'major gift' from philanthropists and longtime Ballet supporters Shelby and Frederick Gans just in time for its Ballet Orchestra Music Director and Principal Conductor Martin West's 20th anniversary with the company in September.
'Frederick and I are proud of the outstanding artistic excellence of both Martin West and San Francisco Ballet Orchestra,' Shelby said in a statement. 'We are honoring their dedication and respective 20th and 50th anniversaries with a gift that will support our beloved ballet through the year 2050.'
The exact amount of the donation was not disclosed.
'We look forward to celebrating our unparalleled artists,' Ballet Executive Director Branislav Henselmann told the Chronicle, 'both in the orchestra pit and on stage, in the year ahead."
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