A ballet canceled at Bastille, another at the Palais Garnier: three years after their historic mobilization against the reform of the pension system, the dancers of the Paris Opera are again on strike. This is the Ballet’s first strike since the new dance director, ex-star José Martinez, took office in December.
This time, the Opera Ballet is on strike for “wage demands and others related to working conditions”, learned AFP from the management of the Opera. It is not an indefinite strike, but notices have also been given for July 15 and 16. Three performances have already been canceled, including the premiere of the ballet L’Histoire de Manon at Garnier on Tuesday. Lifted the next day, the strike resumed Thursday, causing cancellations on the two stages of the Opera, including Signs by Carolyn Carlson in Bastille. Strike notices were filed in April.
Among other things, the dancers are calling for “greater recognition of the time they spend preparing before shows and rehearsals, such as the time dedicated to make-up or warming up”, explains the management. “Since April, the discussions have been quite lively, there have been agreements on certain points but unfortunately we are stumbling on others,” she said. She hopes that by July 15 there will be “time to continue the social dialogue”. The Opera has apologized to the spectators, who will be reimbursed but will find it difficult to find new seats, the ballets being often sold out.
To read alsoWho is Ariane Muraour, the new HRD of the Paris Opera?
“We understand that this is a cause for great dissatisfaction, especially for those who come from afar”, specifies the institution. “There is no legal obligation for the Opera to declare itself on strike 48 hours or even 24 hours in advance and we sometimes remain in negotiation in the hours preceding the performance, without knowing whether the latter can be insured or not”, explains the management. She recalls that the financial situation of the Opera, despite substantial state aid, particularly post-Covid, remains “fragile. »
“For 2023, we still have a loss forecast of around 5 million euros; this is less than expected at the start of the year, but it remains a fragile economic situation. At the same time, we need employees to be satisfied with working at the Opera; we have to reconcile all of that and it’s not easy,” says management.
