Live music being ditched for Las Vegas ‘Nutcracker’ ballet

At the risk of putting a bad idea to the universe, Nevada Ballet Theatre would not present a performance of “Nutcracker” using only holographic figures. We think.

But the full run of the holiday classic opening this weekend is about to be staged absent live musicians.

If Tchaikovsky on reel-to-reel is your thing, you’re in luck. But it’s a sad trombone for live-music aficionados. The NBT went without live music for “Nutcracker” at Paris Theater from 2008-2011, and also in 2019 (citing funding shortfalls) after moving to the Smith Center in 2012.

Such iconic numbers as The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy will be performed to canned tracks for the entire 15-show run. The balance of the shows, 11 total, were already to be performed to tracks, with an orchestra set to play four performances this weekend.

At issue is a stalemate in negotiations between NBT and the Musicians Union of Las Vegas Local 369. The union represents the players contracted for “Nutcracker” and other NBT productions. Most of those musicians are members of Las Vegas Philharmonic.

To understand how far the dispute strays from ballet and orchestral artistry, an attorney has announced there will be no live music for the four shows scheduled Saturday and Sunday opening “Nutcracker” performances.

“This will confirm that we have reached an impasse in our negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement and therefore there will be no live music for the opening weekend performances (December 14 and 15) of the Nutcracker this year as originally planned,” Vegas lawyer and NBT counsel Mark Ricciardi wrote in a letter issued Friday to Musicians Union President Yunior Lopez.

NBT’s letter indicates concern with how electronic media is used in promoting live music, claiming the union “will not agree to language granting the NBT the right to use just 60 seconds of audio recording on the NBT website.”

“The Union’s position is mind boggling and extremely unfair because the Union has given (Las Vegas Philharmonic) that right. The LVP’s (collective bargaining agreement) contains the very language the Union is refusing to agree to with the NBT: A maximum of 60 seconds of audio recordings of pre-designated performances of the LVP covered under this Agreement may be used as streaming audio for the LVP website.”

The union responds that the point is moot.

From Lopez’s response letter: “To clarify, Electronic Media falls outside of our jurisdiction unless it pertains to local media. The American Federation of Musicians (AFM) recognizes internet usage as a national and international medium, placing it beyond our authority to grant such usage unless specifically approved by the AFM.”

The two sides had apparently agreed to collective bargaining agreement language moving forward. The performance rates ranged from $201.46 for side musicians up to $284.02 for concertmaster, a three-year commitment with a 3-percent annual increase.

That rate is a few measures lower than the standing union rate for a performance at Reynolds Hall for a 2 ½-hour show is $375. A year ago, the players, working without a collective bargaining agreement between NBT and the musicians union, agreed to the lower average.

But it was intended to be a one-year agreement, leading into negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement between the union and NBT. Those talks unraveled late last week.

“We agreed to everything,” Lopez says. “We were under the impression that we were going to finalize the deal last week.”

By Monday afternoon, NBT sent word to Lopez with another “limited term” agreement, running through July 1. Or, allowing “The Nutcracker” shows back on the schedule.

“Their initial offer was for three years, as presented to us on Dec. 2, and we still don’t know what’s left to negotiate,” Lopez says. “Monday, they present one year. Overall, this is not a serious group of people.”

NBT spokeswoman Jenn Kratochwill, referring to Ricciardi’s letter, said Monday, “Both parties had agreed to an economic package, so this is not a funding issue. NBT remains committed to presenting live music whenever possible.” But where to find, and how to sign, those 40 musicians is to be specified.

Lopez, a violin virtuoso and master conductor, says the issue dates to the 2023 NBT season, when the dance company declined to work directly with the Las Vegas Philharmonic to furnish the 40-member orchestra.

The ballet instead enlisted an outside contractor. The orchestra was mixed between Philharmonic and non-Phil players, under a temporary “local” agreement.

“That’s where the whole thing really started. When they asked the contractor to put it in agreement, the rates for performing at the Smith Center for a musician is $375 in that room based on the capacity of the room,” Lopez says. “They were shocked by that number, because they have never paid anywhere near that.”

There is little question that 40 live musicians are preferred over recordings (we will fight on this point), but the dance element of the show should be great. And those dancers are members of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), joining in September 2022. Former NBT director James Canfield is again choreographer of the Vegas-centric version of the production, which (spoiler alert) has featured pyrotechnics during the finale.

NBT’s attorney has blamed the union for the lack of live musicians in this year’s “Nutcracker” run. The company claims the union has stopped musicians from agreeing to last year’s terms. As Ricciardi stated:

“Of course, the NBT could have hired musicians for this year’s Nutcracker at the tentative agreed-upon rates and proceeded without a completed CBA — just as we did last year and in many prior years — but the Union Executive Board has prohibited its members from accepting an engagement unless a full CBA is signed.”

Lopez, joined by union membership, emphasizes that all other Las Vegas arts companies have agreed to ongoing collective bargaining agreement with the musicians union.

To the surprise of no one, the debate has spilled to social media. L.V. Phil Orchestral Committee Chair Stephen Caplan was among those to initiate a letter-writing campaign to urge supporters to pepper the ballet’s official website.

Musicians Union member Rob Mader, a prolific sax player (Santa Fe & The Fat City Horns, “Kyle Martin’s Real Piano Man”) has posted on Facebook links to such sites as ProPublica.org to NBT’s nearly $1.5 million budget surplus and 2023 salary structure, beginning with NBT President Beth Barbre’s $206,322 stipend.

Supporters argue the officials are worth every dollar, given NBT’s prominent place in the city’s arts culture since it was formed by “Folies” dancers in 1972. Its co-founder, Nancy Houssels, is a Las Vegas dance legend. The company’s Black & White Gala has drawn such superstars as its Woman of the Year as Celine Dion, Bette Midler, Olivia Newton-John and Priscilla Presley. Pop icon Debbie Gibson is being honored on March 29.

NBT’s rich history has featured orchestral collaborations.

The Doris Lee Live Music Fund and Theodore and Doris Lee Live Music Fund is set up to underwrite orchestra shows. A separate call for donations to live music is included in the annual NBT Black & White Gala. There was a time when every NBT show was backed by the Las Vegas Philharmonic. The partnership has dwindled to 18 “services” (concerts and rehearsals) overall last year, to the current conflict.

Musicians have taken issue with advertising for the show, and higher rates for shows involving musicians than those with recorded music. Kratochwill said rates this season are not driven by orchestra involvement.

“Each year, NBT offers premium date performances on days that have a higher demand. Regardless of orchestra, there are 11 performances this year that fall into the ‘high demand” category and that includes opening weekend,” the NBT rep responded in email. “We also offer value-priced performances and this year, that includes four out of the 15 dates.”

NBT had been promoting orchestral shows as recently as last month in its email and direct-mail campaign. Kratochwill said “we will be communicating with patrons” to address the issue.

Musicians union members are riding momentum, while reminding of high demand for A-plus players. More than 70 played Saturday’s Andrea Bocceli show at MGM Grand, and 70 more were featured at “A Very Vegas Christmas” at Reynolds Hall. In all, more than 140 musicians were in ticketed shows — not corporate events.

The Bocceli show was taped for an upcoming CBS special. Including the extra pay for a network-TV special, those 70 or so musicians earned $2,000. Adele hired a couple dozen Las Vegas string players in “Weekends With Adele,” and Seth MacFarlane is coming with an orchestra filled with Vegas musicians in his New Year’s Eve show at Reynolds Hall.

But often, these same players go through long droughts where they are lucky to get paid gas money for a lounge gig. Some even talk of performing Tchaikovsky outside Reynolds Hall during “Nutcracker” performances. Their attitude is, sometimes you need to play hardball as well as your instrument.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.