Musicians began leafleting Florida Grand Opera audiences on Tuesday night, demanding that the Opera take artistic control by doing what every other opera company of its size does: hire the orchestra directly, without the use of an intermediary contractor. The musicians are also demanding that the Opera recognize South Florida Musicians Association, American Federation of Musicians Local 655, AFL-CIO, as their bargaining agent.

FGO Orchestra Cares About Quality

Members of the FGO orchestra have graduated from prestigious institutions such as the Juilliard, Manhattan, and Eastman Schools of Music, New England Conservatory, and Indiana University and have performed with all of south Florida's musical institutions, including the Florida Philharmonic, Palm Beach Opera, New World Symphony, and Orchestra Miami. We have loyally performed for FGO since 2001 (and some of us much longer).

FGO management has refused to talk to us, and instead has engaged a new individual to hire the orchestra for next season, virtually guaranteeing that every musician currently in the orchestra will be replaced, even though FGO's own Music Director, Stewart Robertson, has continually praised and lauded the orchestra.

As FGO General Director Robert Heuer has said of us,

"I think Stewart [Robertson] liked the fact that he had musicians who liked being a pit orchestra and really came to work prepared to work hard. It's been a good relationship."

To insure the future quality of their orchestra, FGO needs to take artistic control by doing what every other opera company of its size does: hire the orchestra directly, without the use of an intermediary contractor.

Please contact the Opera and tell them to cut out the middleman:

Robert Heuer, General Director & CEO
8390 NW 25th Street
Miami, FL 33122-1504
305-854-7890
rmheuer@fgo.org