Musicians Play "Live" To Demand Restoration Of Nutcracker Orchestra

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Area union musicians will stage a unique rally and mini-concert this afternoon to press for restoration of live music at this year’s performances of “The Nutcracker” by the Washington Ballet. A brass ensemble will accompany the announcement of a campaign urging Washington Ballet management, its board of directors and the D.C. City Council to find the funds to rehire the orchestra, which the Ballet currently intends to replace with taped music. "Live music has been a part of the Washington Ballet's ‘Nutcracker' since the beginning," says AFM Local 161-710 President John Cusick, "and this orchestra, through more than three decades of service, has been a part of The Washington Ballet family. A venerable Washington area tradition is being lost." In a separate statement, Ballet dancers added that "The dancers of The Washington Ballet and the American Guild of Musical Artists want to acknowledge the sad loss of live music for our performances of 'The Nutcracker'. The experience of dancing this superb production of 'The Nutcracker', by some of the foremost ballet dancers in America, without a live orchestra is an artistic loss to the artists and audiences of Washington D.C. We reach out to everyone who values the magic tradition of this holiday performance to help us get our live music back." - photo by Carol Pratt