The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra has cancelled another concert as the group's longstanding labor dispute with its musicians grinds on. The Masterworks performance of music by Mozart, Stravinsky and others was to have taken place February 27.
The chamber orchestra cancelled the event after musicians declined to guarantee that they would perform at it, according to a chamber orchestra press release. "We are completely dismayed by these most recent developments," says WCO executive director Doug Gerhart in the release. "We believe our proposal was more than fair and remarkably generous, especially in this current economic climate."
"It seemed to us we were getting close," says bassoonist Todd Jelen of the musicians' negotiating committee. "It's like they're punishing us for our right to be in a union."
Thus far this season the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra has performed only its Nutcracker, Holiday Pops, and Masterworks II concerts. Last fall's first Masterworks performance was cancelled, as was the popular Halloween event.
