Carnegie Hall forced to cancel opening gala by union strike

A stagehands’ strike forced bosses at New York’s Carnegie Hall to cancel their season opening night concert for the first time in 122 years on Wednesday (02Oct13). The gala was set to feature a performance from the Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Yannick Nezet­-Seguin and featuring Grammy Award-winning bassist and cellist Esperanza Spalding.
However, the stagehands’ union called a strike after officials at the historic venue refused to grant them contracts to work in its new educational wing, which concert hall executives insist is outside the union’s jurisdiction.
A venue spokeswoman writes, “We’re committed to… reaching an equitable agreement as quickly as possible, as we continue to transform our building to better meet our expanding public service mission.”