Unions Call Off Opera Strikes in Italy

ROME — Strikes that have forced the cancellation of performances at Milan's La Scala and other Italian opera houses were called off Tuesday after talks with the country's culture minister, a union leader said.

"The premieres will be saved," union leader Silvano Conti was quoted by the Italian news agency ANSA as saying as he left the Culture Ministry, where Minister Francesco Rutelli led talks Tuesday evening. ANSA quoted Conti as saying the strikes were being called off.

Strikes by hundreds of workers at La Scala had forced the cancellation of performances of Verdi's "Requiem," conducted by principal visiting conductor Daniel Barenboim. The labor dispute had cast a shadow over the Dec. 7 gala season premiere, this year featuring Wagner's "Tristan und Isolde."

The premiere marks Barenboim's debut as the opera house's principal visiting conductor.

The strike had also forced cancellation of a performance at Rome's opera house.

Rutelli expressed "great satisfaction and appreciation" for the "positive outcome" of the negotiations, a ministry statement said.

No details were immediately released.

La Scala's employees — including the orchestra and choir — say they have not had a pay raise in seven years, but the opera house management said they were hampered in resolving the conflict because they could not negotiate with its employees unless nationwide contract talks were going on in the sector.

Those talks were held at the ministry in Rome, providing the apparent break in the impasse.

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