Guest artists at the Bayerische Staatsoper will wait two months to be paid following a disruptive public sector strike in Munich.
What’s Up: Guest artists at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich recently received a letter informing them that they will not be paid until February. The pay disruptions come following a public sector Warnstreik in Munich that led to unstaged and cancelled performances at the Staatsoper starting in mid-November.
Refresher: In Munich, opera singers’ payments are processed through the Bavarian State Treasurer’s Office. The many guest artists who perform after December 15, unfortunately, will wait until February to be paid, as the office closes over Christmas.
Digging Deeper: Murmurings about the financial state of the legendary Munich opera house are circulating following this chaotic autumn. Belgian Intendant Serge Dorny has led the Staatsoper since 2021. However, the Staatsoper’s Financial Director, Dr. Roland Schwab, claims the issues are not the opera house’s fault. He shared that those hoping to help the affected singers through this challenging holiday season are welcome to contact financial services.
