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2003
Musicians plan protest for opening night at the opera
Date Released: 10 Oct 2003Members of the Musicians Union of Ireland (MUI) plan to protest at the Theatre Royal in Wexford on Thursday, October 16, at 7.00pm - the opening night of the Wexford Festival Opera, according to MUI Secretary, John Swift. "Our members are concerned that the Belarussian Orchestra which is contracted to play for the Festival will be asked to work for terms and conditions below the established level and standards accepted across the European Union," said Mr. Swift. "The Wexford Festival Opera receive substantial public funding through the Arts Council for hosting this very prestigious event, yet for the third successive year, the orchestra and chorus will not comprise any musicians from Ireland or other countries within the EU. "The MUI are appalled that the Department of Enterprise Trade & Employment see fit to disregard their own work permit requirements to allow a Belarussian orchestra to play for the Festival. In so doing they are depriving Irish based musicians of substantial performing opportunities. "The Festival has received over €2 million of Irish tax payers money by way of grants from the Arts Council since 2001 - this year alone they got €736,000 - yet Irish based musicians are excluded from the event. "We have no dispute with the musicians from Belarus. All we want is for Irish based musicians to be given a chance to perform at this very prestigious event. "We are therefore calling on the Festival organisers, the Department of Enterprise Trade & Employment and the Arts Council, to ensure that in future, the orchestra and chorus for the Wexford Festival Opera are from Ireland or another European Union country," concluded Mr. Swift. The MUI is being supported in its protest by members of SIPTU's Irish Actors' Equity group who will also be in attendance on October 16.
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