Opera to sack artists, outsource orchestra, choir - update 2

(ANSA) - Rome, October 2 - The board of Rome's Opera House has voted to sack the choir and orchestra, replacing them with outsourced artists, Mayor Ignazio Marino announced Thursday. "The move will affect 182 staff out of 460, and does not involve the remaining 278," Marino said. "This was a tough decision to make," said Opera General Manager Carlo Fuortes. "The only other alternative was shutting the theater down altogether". This is the first ever collective sacking of choir and orchestra in Italy, Fuortes added. "It's an innovative move in Italy, but very much in use in the rest of Europe," he said, adding the move will save the opera an estimated 3.4 million euros. The opera house was in disarray after iconic conductor Riccaro Muti abruptly quit last month, citing labour strife, mismanagement and cash problems which he said deprived him of the necessary "serenity" to work. The capital's opera house had come off a long hot summer in which strike action disrupted performances after artists and management failed to reach a contract agreement. The opera lost 12.9 million euros last year and the strikes caused losses of some 300,000 euros during the summer, Marino said.