Carnegie Hall canceled its opening night for the first time in its 122-year-history on Wednesday, as stagehands walked off the job when contract negotiations failed to meet a deadline a day earlier, DNA Info reported.
The strike lasted just one night, as the scheduled performance the next night resumed.
After the two sides failed to reach an agreement by a midnight deadline on Tuesday, union members stopped working, and the venue was forced to cancel a performance, something it never had to do before.
Wednesday night's concert, which would have featured a performance by The Philadelphia Orchestra as conducted by Yannick Nezet-Seguin, does not have a rescheduled date, the company said. As for Wednesday night, The Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra played a free show at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia.
"Carnegie Hall sincerely regrets any inconvenience this strike will cause our artists, concertgoers and everyone with whom we work," executive and artistic director Clive Gillinson said Wednesday.
The stagehands, however, "have one of the most lucrative contracts in the industry," he added. "They are seeking to expand...in ways that would compromise Carnegie Hall's education mission," Gillinson said.
Carnegie Hall and its stagehands, who are members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees were in contract negotiations since last year.
Issues raised in the negotiations include wage and benefit increases.
Carnegie Hall has feaured the very best classical, folk jazz and world musicians throughout its storied history. Noted comedians have also performed there.
