Breaking: Italian Senate Passes New Law, Reform of Italian Opera Houses Is On The Way

The Italian Senate just passed (150-112) the new law that reforms Italian opera houses and that has ignited a long series of strikes throughout the country.

Comments

[Piccola Nelly]

They will strike all the time now!!!

[francesco]

if they strike all the time, they're right.
it's not a a law, it's not a reform. it's just a shame. and bondi is the worst minister of the culture in italian history.
the Fondo unico per lo spettacolo was 250 milion euros two years ago. next year it will be about 140 milion euros...aren't they right to protest dear opera chic and friends?

[Stefano]

No Francesco, Italian opera houses (la Scala is the exception) do in average 50 shows every year. They need to work more and protest less, they are living with Italian tax payers money and work very little. Work more, protest less. Easy. Then you can ask for more money. In this situation, more money to "enti lirici" is more more wasted.

[Bruno]

Sorry, but I read the website and still couldn0t figure out what has been approved.

"No Francesco, Italian opera houses (la Scala is the exception) do in average 50 shows every year."

Is it about increasing the nr. of shows? The statistics had actually shown rather nice numbers.

Explanation would be appreciated.

--B

[francesco]

@stefano
this is not the right way...
next year they won't have money to pay the singers. i have some friends who work in the theatre. they told me the risk (now it's not a risk, it's sure) is that a lot of theatres will cancel some productions. i am an architect. i can tell you that an ancient theatre is very very expencive. so millions euros every year are necessary only to entertain structures. what can we do? maybe tell sfondrini or piermarini that their way of building was not good for the 21st century? come on! i say to my dear italians: just turn off the television and turn on the brain!

[Ken]

Isn't Italy's government in danger of going broke in the Greek fashion? If so, "austerity" will come one way or another, and I imagine that the fate of the opera houses is pretty far down on the list of the government's concerns, given that they need to worry about paying pensions, etc.

[Barbara]

I'm just going to Italy. Am I doomed?

[Lou Ann D.]

In the US, it would be time for a TELETHON! Opera telethon! Cool idea, only you can call it a national GALA if you want. If you are going to work more, might as well be in the area of fund raising for opera.

[walter]

Maybe they'll all wake up now!
Maybe they'll all start working as they should instead of sending in doctor's certificates!
They are the ones who ruined themselves.
They had a good thing going for them and, as usual for Italians, totally mucked it up!

[gigio]

Do you judge it normal to strike against Parliament?

[Barbara]

American opera companies are constantly in fund raising mode.

[Nathan]

140 million euros is enough if the unions stop asking for too much as they have done until now.
Why should a singer or conductor be paid 160,000 euro for a night's work? No matter how good one is, getting so much money is unfair. No one deserves such an amount!
They must stop complaining, and think that 160,000 euro is a hundred people's salaries!