SAN FRANCISCO—The Saturday, September 12 opening for “Simon Boccanegra” and the September 13 performance for “Opera in the Park” were cancelled as a result of a strike by the SF Opera Orchestra.
Patrons with tickets for the September 12 performance for “Simon Boccanegra” can utilize their ticket for an upcoming performance in the 2026-2027 season, they can donate the value of the ticket or request a full refund for the September 12 event.
The San Francisco Opera has been in mediated negotiations with the SF Opera Orchestra for a successor collective bargaining agreement, which expired on July 31, 2026.
The Musicians of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra released the following statement:
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce that the musicians of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra are on strike and we will not be performing at tonight’s Opening Night. A strike is not something we take lightly, and we are deeply sorry to everyone who planned to spend this evening at the opera. We have been clear throughout these negotiations that management’s offers were insufficient, and that without a fair contract we would have no choice but to stop work. Management’s insistence on cuts has left us no other option.
Our contract expired on July 31. We came into these negotiations months ago expecting to build on the modest agreement we reached two years ago. Management instead initially proposed a 26% pay cut, which would have returned us to 2015 wages, and later “improved” that offer to a 20% cut. Coming into today, their latest proposal was a five-year wage freeze, which, factoring in inflation, is equivalent to roughly a 20% cut over the life of the contract. All of this at a time when San Francisco rents are surging to the highest in the nation.
Despite our efforts to negotiate in good faith, cuts have remained their answer to every proposal we have made. Our ask is simply to keep pace with the local cost of living, much like the recently announced contract for the city’s public sector unions.
And while management insists that the musicians take a pay cut, the same standard does not seem to apply to the Opera’s executives. The General Director’s salary rose 72% between the 2022 and 2025 fiscal years, from $424,000 to $729,000, according to the company’s public filings.”
The SF Opera Orchestra recently celebrated its 103rd season. Ticketholders can visit sfopera.com/updates or call the San Francisco Opera Box Office at (415) 864-3330 for options.
