Musicians' deal likely to put Lyric back on the radio

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(Free-Press-Release.com) September 21, 2006 -- Under a new contract ratified Wednesday night, Lyric Opera of Chicago could resume radio broadcasts as early as November.
The Chicago Federation of Musicians voted to accept the terms of a three-year contract offered by Lyric Opera management that guarantees wage increases totaling 13.2 percent over 26-week seasons in 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09.
But most significantly, both parties agreed to resume the broadcasts, which had been dropped after the 2001-02 season due to lack of funding.

"[Resuming the broadcasts] was as much a priority for us as it was for them," said Gary Matts, president of the Chicago Federation of Musicians, which represents Lyric's orchestra players. Traditionally, Lyric would broadcast live the opening night of each production locally over WFMT-FM (98.7) and then nationally syndicate its entire season of opening nights over the WFMT Radio Network.
"We're very pleased that this contract brings us back on the radio," said Lyric general director William Mason. He hopes to return to the air as soon as the Nov. 4 opening of "Il Trovatore" or maybe earlier, depending on negotiations with two other unions that must consent to the agreement, the American Guild of Musical Artists and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. The matter should be resolved in the next week or so, Mason said.

Though the contract expired in June, the season began as scheduled last weekend with "Turandot." Both sides credited former federal appeals court judge Abner Mikva for helping to broker the agreement. "At the end, we had the help of Judge Mikva, and because we were making progress, it was important to begin the season as as planned," Matts said.
Lyric's vote came on the same day that New York's Metropolitan Opera announced a sweeping agreement with Sirius Satellite Radio that will allow the company to broadcast four performances weekly during the Met's eight-month annual season. Mason said that he did not yet know the details of the Met's new media initiative but seemed unfazed by its terms, saying, "The Met is the Met."

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Posted by LAURA EMERICK