No Accord Signed in Opera Labor Rift

Despite a threat from the San Diego Opera management that its production of “Der Rosenkavalier” would be canceled if orchestra members did not sign a 22-day no-strike agreement by 5 p.m. Tuesday, no agreement was signed and negotiations were set to continue at 9 a.m. today.

Negotiations broke down about 7 p.m. Tuesday, with each side blaming the other for the impasse, but, by 9 p.m., today’s session had been scheduled.

With $600,000 in tickets already sold for five performances beginning Jan. 18, and $892,000 invested in the production, rehearsals for the season opener are to begin Thursday at the San Diego Civic Theatre.

Opera General Director Ian D. Campbell said Monday that the show could not go on if costumes, lighting and set designs were not delivered to the theater by 8 a.m. today. Opera managers would not comment Tuesday on whether they will go ahead with deliveries today.

Negotiators for the musicians union, Local 325 of the American Federation of Musicians, said the primary hurdle remains the issue of preventing scheduling conflicts with the San Diego Symphony, since many of the musicians play for both orchestras. Opera officials say they are willing to continue to negotiate through the run of “Der Rosenkavalier,” but only if there is a guarantee that the full run of the Richard Strauss opera will continue without a strike.