Photo by Eric Politzer
The Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera have both suspended operations for the next season, citing ongoing financial problems.
The orchestra was established in 1997 after the disbandment of the Sacramento Symphony, which had severe administrative difficulties and operating deficits, repeatedly filing for bankruptcy. The Philharmonic and Opera merged last year as the Sacramento Region Performing Arts Alliance. Laurie E. Nelson was named board president of SRPAA last month.
Under the leadership of Music Director Michael Morgan, the Philharmonic made a great effort to establish itself with programming for a diverse community and a variety of community engagements. Its efforts reached into schools, hospitals, housing shelters, and other places where, Morgan said, "classical music can ignite hope, strengthen self-esteem and provide respite from a stressful world."
Morgan's "Songs of Hope" series, for example, featured musicians from Israel, Egypt, and Palestine. "Viva la Musica" concerts played the music of composers with Latino roots or ties.
But now the organization can no longer deal with budgeting problems because, as reported by Edward Ortiz in the Sacramento Bee:
Although last year’s merger was supposed to strengthen both the opera and the philharmonic, it hasn’t had that effect. The two groups’ combined budgets totaled more than $2 million before the merger. At this point, the alliance has just $131,000 in the bank for 2014-2015.In January, the organization received a $500,000 gift from the Joyce and Jim Teel Family Foundation, just before it was to appeal to the city for a $350,000 forgivable loan. The Teel gift allowed the alliance to forgo the loan, with most of the gift used to pay for the Sacramento Opera’s production of Il trovatore.
“We really gave this a lot of thought as a board,” Nelson said of the decision to scrap the fall season. “We could have done another season, like we did last year, and struggle along and end up the year with no money in the bank. Instead, we decided to take a pause and really give some consideration to how to build a foundation for the future.”
The decision was greeted with dismay by Larry Gardner, president of American Federation of Musicians Local 12.
“We’re certainly shocked and dismayed that an organization that has had consistent budgets above $1 million annually would suddenly be reduced to one of approximately $130,000,” Gardner said.
“This has been frustrating — very frustrating — for the musicians,” Gardner said.
Asked about the situation, Morgan told Music News:
I think stopping now to reassess is exactly the right thing to do, rather than leave ticket holders and musicians in the lurch by promising something and then not delivering.I just hope this garners enough attention, while the organization is still viable, for a course correction. The players deserve some certainty. The board is determined that this should only be a pause, but they really need help. They've put so much of themselves into this organization.
I know the players want to organize some public events in the meantime, and we're all hoping for concerts in the spring.