The New York lyric house has decided to apply the force majeure clause and will not pay any fees to non-salaried artists who were to perform in the coming weeks. The decision sparked an uproar in the United States.
As most opera houses around the world try to find solutions to guarantee the payment of the fees of lyric singers whose contracts have been canceled following the coronavirus epidemic, the Metropolitan Opera de New York decided. The institution will not pay any remuneration to soloists who were to perform on stage and whose performances have been canceled.
The management of the Met has decided to activate the force majeure clause included in the contracts. No non-salaried artist will receive a dollar for productions scheduled from March 12, when the lyric house is closed for health reasons linked to the Covid-19 epidemic.
Peter Gelb, the director of the New York opera, made it known in an email addressed to the artists concerned. A short email in which the Met lets it be known that the health of artists is what matters most to them. This decision sparked the fury of the singers concerned.
“I am totally disappointed with this decision, declares one of the soloists anonymously in a post from blog by tenor Zach Finkelstein. Many operas, both big and small, are making an effort to help their singers in this difficult period. Not the Met. It says a lot about what this house is. Shameful“.
The Metropolitan, with the largest budget for an auditorium in the USA, continues its online activities, offering every night of the week the video streaming of one of its productions.
In France, the performing arts community is still awaiting the announcement of specific government measures.