Musicians Stage Protest
Florida Grand Opera orchestra musicians vacated the orchestra pit as an act of solidarity at performances of La Boheme at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts on May 8 and 10, in protest of the Opera's refusal to recognize them as employees of the Opera company. After their usual pre-performance warm-ups, the orchestra quietly removed their instruments and left the pit en masse, while CEO and General Director Robert Heuer made his pre-performance speech from the stage overlooking the empty pit.