In Saturday’s (12/4) Detroit Free Press, Mark Stryker writes, “Detroit Symphony Orchestra music director Leonard Slatkin has remained largely silent during the 8-1/2 week strike that has crippled the orchestra, but he opened a small window today on his website, leonardslatkin.com. … ‘Very few days went by while I was in Detroit when I did not speak with board members, urging them to help find a way out of this. Most said they missed the orchestra but needed to hold firm. The indication was that when a settlement was reached, purse strings might open once again. And that is the crux of the issue. The players want a guarantee and the board cannot give it.’ Music directors almost always take a vow of neutrality during labor disputes. … Slatkin, 66, who usually updates his journal at the start of each month, also wrote: ‘The good news is that General Motors showed a two billion dollar surplus this past quarter, but that is only for 3 months. It is sustained growth, over a year or more, which will get the economics back in play for the orchestra. I have tried very hard and feel that the success will come, but not until the orchestra is back on stage.’ ”
Posted December 7, 2010
