Canadian opera off the air at CBC
Radio program loses T.O. company over fees
The Canadian Broadcasting Company will continue with its longrunning show, Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, but the Canadian Opera Company will not be on it. The COC announced Wednesday it had failed to reach an arrangement with the Toronto Musicians Association and the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association (CAEA).
The Toronto-based opera company had offered $150,000 for the airing of operas on CBC, a reduction from $200,000, the fee they’ve paid annually since the broadcasting arrangement was implemented in 2009.
Arden Ryshpan, executive director of the CAEA, says the musicians were already being paid a discount rate for the broadcasts.
“Members were unable to agree to a further reduction,” says Ryshpan, adding she was angered by the public announcement by the COC, as she thought their dealings should be confidential.
Fees for broadcasting music are separate from the wages paid musicians and actors to perform in the events, says COC spokesperson Jennifer Pugsley.
Executive director Alexander Neef was unavailable for comment as he was in Ottawa to discuss arts funding.
A statement by Neef stresses that the COC makes no money from the broadcasts which “are a valuable means to raising awareness about the vitality and relevancy of opera in the 21st century.”
He adds, “The broadcasts are extremely important to the future of opera in this country . . . I am personally very disappointed but we simply were unable to meet the financial expectations of the performers and musicians.”
Mark Steinmetz, director of music programming at the CBC, called the situation “a disappointment,” adding that the COC “is a fantastic part” of their opera programming.
Saturday Afternoon at the Opera runs from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturdays on CBC Radio 2 and Radio-Canada’s Espace Musique.