Milan. Venice’s famous La Fenice opera house on Wednesday canceled its opening night for the first time in more than 30 years due to a staff strike, forcing the theater to refund tickets to disappointed Italian and foreign spectators.
Built in 1792, La Fenice is an emblematic monument of Venice that attracts more than 200 thousand visitors a year and one of the best-known Italian theaters in the world, along with La Scala in Milan and San Carlo in Naples.
The 2024-25 season was going to open on Wednesday with the opera Othello, by the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, directed by the South Korean Myung-Whun Chung. The show was canceled after a strike by the orchestra and chorus, as well as other workers.
About 80 percent of the theater’s 275 employees joined the strike, demanding an increase in staff.
“This theater is our home. We demand that the number of jobs be increased to 315, as the Ministry of Culture promised before the covid-19 pandemic,” said Laura Coppola, representative of the CGIL trade union center at the theater. the opera
Wednesday’s strike was the latest episode in a long dispute between La Fenice management and staff, who had already carried out strikes in August and September of this year.
La Fenice posted an announcement on its website announcing the cancellation of the opening night, but it came too late for some opera lovers who had made long trips.
“We had people come from Denver to Venice to see the show and they had no idea it was cancelled,” Fortunato Ortombina, the theater’s artistic director, told Reuters.
La Fenice’s refunds to disappointed spectators would amount to around 200,000 euros ($210,840).
Next year, Ortombina will move to La Scala in Milan, where he will replace the Frenchman Dominique Meyer as artistic director.
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Here are two PAA-related questions for the given article:
## A Night at the Opera Silenced: An Interview
**Welcome to World Today News. Tonight, we delve into the cancellation of the opening night at Venice’s beloved La Fenice opera house, an unprecedented event in over three decades. Joining us are two distinguished guests:**
**[Guest 1 Name],** a renowned cultural critic and opera aficionado, and **[Guest 2 Name],** a labor relations expert specializing in the arts sector.
**Welcome to both of you.**
**Section 1: The Impact**
* **To our cultural critic, [Guest 1 Name], the cancellation of La Fenice’s opening night is a significant event. How does this impact not only the theater but also the broader artistic community and the city of Venice itself?**
* **[Guest 2 Name], from a labor perspective, this strike highlights a growing tension within the arts sector. What are the underlying factors leading to such actions, particularly in revered institutions like La Fenice?**
**Section 2: The Workers’ Perspective**
* **[Guest 2 Name], La Fenice employees have cited understaffing as a key demand. Could you elaborate on the challenges faced by arts workers, particularly in a demanding environment like opera?**
* **[Guest 1 Name], while understanding the workers’ concerns, how do you think this strike might affect the perception of La Fenice and the artistic experience for future performances?**
**Section 3: Beyond La Fenice**
* **[Guest 2 Name], this situation at La Fenice reflects broader challenges facing arts institutions globally. What lessons can we learn from this incident, and what solutions might be explored to ensure the sustainability of these cultural treasures?**
* **[Guest 1 Name], in light of budget constraints and changing cultural landscapes, how can we balance the financial viability of opera houses with the need to compensate artists and staff fairly?**
**Section 4: Looking Ahead**
* **[Guest 1 Name], despite this setback, what are your hopes for the future of La Fenice? How can the theater regain momentum and continue its legacy of artistic excellence?**
* **[Guest 2 Name], moving forward, how can open dialogue and collaborative solutions be fostered between management and workers to prevent such disruptive events in the future?**
**Closing Remarks:**
Thank you both for sharing your expertise and insightful perspectives. This discussion underscores the complexities involved in sustaining cultural institutions and the importance of finding equitable solutions that benefit both artists and the public alike.
**To our viewers, this incident serves as a reminder of the fragility of the arts and the need to support these institutions both financially and through increased understanding of the challenges they face.**
