Rome, Nov 18 (EFE).- The La Fenice Theater in Venice (northern Italy), one of the most important in the world, canceled the premiere of its lyric and ballet season due to a workers’ strike that will result in economic losses of 200,000 euros in income.
The protest called by the main theater unions over staff reduction and working conditions forced the suspension of the performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Otello”, scheduled for Wednesday, November 20, and a refund of the amount of tickets sold.
The La Fenice Theater Foundation confirmed the cancellation this Monday, although it has announced that the performances on November 23, 26 and 29 and December 1, “will take place normally,” according to a statement.
“The conflict focuses mainly on the lack of personnel and the economic aspect,” explained the union representative of La Fenice, Marco Trentin, in statements to the local newspaper Il Gazzettino, where he explained that for two years they have been asking the Foundation for “commitments clear” and “convincing answers.
The union member explained that three years ago the La Fenice workforce had 315 people compared to the 271 registered last year.
Another point of conflict that he reported is the prohibition of workers from carrying out external activities on days when there are no commitments, something that was previously done recurrently and that is now being questioned, considering the employee absent away from the main headquarters.
The canceled performance was to inaugurate the lyrical and ballet season of the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, with a new production by the Korean director Myung-Whun Chung, conducted by the Orchestra and Choir of the Teatro La Fenice.
The Undersecretary of Culture of Italy, Gianmarco Mazzi, expressed his disappointment after learning that the event will not be held due to the strike, an event that he described as “especially self-harming” for taking place during the premiere.
“In addition to causing economic damage, in this case 200,000 euros, it also affects the most passionate audience of opera and the potential sponsors and patrons who support cultural activities in Italy,” lamented the Undersecretary of Culture in a note. EFE
What strategies can the La Fenice Theater implement to mitigate the impact of worker strikes on upcoming performances and productions?
Section 1: Understanding the Impact of the Strike on the La Fenice Theater
Guest 1: As a director at the La Fenice Theater, what is your perspective on the cancellation of the premiere due to the workers’ strike?
Guest 2: As a representative of the workers’ union, what are your main concerns regarding the suspension of the “Otello” performance?
Section 2: Addressing Worker Reduction and Working Conditions
Guest 1: What are the repercussions of reducing the number of staff at the La Fenice Theater, and how do you plan to address this issue?
Guest 2: Could you elaborate on the impact that prohibiting workers from carrying out external activities has had on their morale and productivity?
Section 3: Exploring the Role of the Undersecretary of Culture
Guest 1: How do you respond to the statement made by the Undersecretary of Culture regarding the self-harming nature of the strike?
Guest 2: How do you think the government can better support the cultural sector and prevent similar events from happening in the future?
Section 4: Future Plans for the La Fenice Theater
Guest 1: Could you provide an update on the new production by Myung-Whun Chung, and how it will proceed without the inaugural performance?
Guest 2: Moving forward, what measures are being taken to ensure that future events at the La Fenice Theater are not affected by such strikes?
