San Francisco Opera Orchestra Strikes, Cancelling Opening Night and Opera in the Park

The San Francisco Opera Orchestra went on strike on Saturday, September 12, announcing the walkout less than an hour before the 8pm curtain at the War Memorial Opera House. San Francisco Opera cancelled the performance of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra that was to open its 104th season, and cancelled the free Opera in the Park concert scheduled for Robin Williams Meadow in Golden Gate Park the following afternoon.

The musicians are represented by American Federation of Musicians Local 6. Their contract expired on July 31 and negotiations since have not produced a replacement.

What Each Side Says

“A strike is not something we take lightly, and we are deeply sorry to everyone who planned to spend this evening at the opera,” the musicians said in a statement reported by KQED. They said management’s insistence on cuts left them no other option.

According to San Francisco Classical Voice, the union says management proposed a 26 percent pay cut and later revised the offer to a 20 percent cut, and that a five-year framework holding earnings flat was also put forward. Minimum salaries under the expired contract were $118,326.75 for section musicians, $124,056.47 for assistant principals and $152,705.94 for some principals, across a 24-week season with four weeks of paid vacation.

General Director Matthew Shilvock said the company cannot sustain “a compensation structure that originated 45 years ago without bringing it into alignment with current reality.” San Francisco Opera says it carries a structural deficit of $15 million a year, and that expense growth has outpaced revenue growth for decades.

The musicians point to the company’s recent results. They say six productions have sold out over the past three years and donations rose $8 million on last year, exceeding the company’s own goals by $2.2 million. San Francisco Classical Voice reports that the tax return for the fiscal year ending July 2025 shows $82.8 million in revenue against $89.1 million in expenses, and total assets of $366 million including an endowment of roughly $300 million. The union has also cited a 72 percent rise in the general director’s reported salary between the 2022 and 2025 fiscal years.

If You Hold Tickets

Ticketholders for the cancelled September 12 performance have three options: hold the value on account toward another 2026-27 season performance, donate the value, or request a full refund. San Francisco Opera is directing patrons to its updates page or to the box office at 415-864-3330.

What Is Still Unresolved

As of Saturday night the company had not said whether the September 16 performance of Simon Boccanegra would go ahead, and KQED reported the question was still open. The run was scheduled through September 27. If you hold tickets for a later date, check the company’s updates page before heading to Van Ness Avenue.

The Opera Ball, originally set for September 12, had already been moved to November 12 before the strike.

Both sides have published their own accounts. The musicians’ statement is at sfoperaorchestra.org and the company’s is at sfopera.com/economics.

SFGuide reported on August 27 that the orchestra had told patrons it would not play opening night without a contract. Our preview of the opening weekend covers the season as it was scheduled.

Sources: KQED, San Francisco Classical Voice, SFist.