It’s a Deal: Radio City Christmas Show to Go On, With Live Music

Radio City Entertainment and the union representing musicians for its famed “Christmas Spectacular” reached a tentative deal Thursday in a labor dispute, agreeing to use a live orchestra instead of canned music, both sides said.

The parties had been working with a mediator. The conflict came to a head Nov. 2 when the musicians went on strike and two preseason shows were canceled.

Since then, the show had gone on with recorded music. The American Federation of Musicians Local 802 had said the performers wanted to return to work while negotiations continued; Radio City denied that they had been locked out.

Radio City said Thursday that the orchestra would play for today’s afternoon show.

“Our people are out of work, and now they’re going back to work, and that’s what it’s about,” union negotiator John A. Babich said.

He declined to discuss the terms of the deal.

In a statement, James L. Dolan, president of Cablevision Systems Corp., which owns Radio City, thanked Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg for providing a forum and a mediator.

“We are very pleased to reach an agreement,” the statement said.