In Tuesday’s (7/19) Philadelphia Inquirer, Peter Dobrin writes, “In its bankruptcy petition, the Philadelphia Orchestra seeks to reach a new contract with its own musicians and to sever ties with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops. But the bankruptcy also sweeps into court a renegotiation of the orchestra’s lease agreement with its landlord, the Kimmel Center. … What does the orchestra want? Lower rent in Verizon Hall, it says, even though the current lease agreement, set to run through 2026, was the result of a lengthy negotiation lauded by both sides as fair and mutually beneficial upon its completion a decade ago. Potentially back on the agenda is a merger of the orchestra and Kimmel. … The orchestra’s strategic plan does nothing less than call into question the Kimmel’s raison d’etre, which, as articulated in raising the $275 million to build it, was to be Philadelphia’s answer to Lincoln Center. … The orchestra is also seeking to become a voice in negotiations with unions for ushers and stagehands. In short, the orchestra wants to create a bigger presence for itself at the Kimmel—at every point of human contact; in graphics and promotional materials; and by creating spaces for the public to interact with musicians. Often, from the outside, there is nothing to signal to passersby that the Kimmel is home to the Philadelphia Orchestra.”
Posted July 19, 2011
