MUSIC

Officials of the Royal Opera House, in London’s Covent Garden, said it would take a pay dispute with its 69-member chorus to arbitration after it was forced to cancel two performances in the new season. The season was scheduled to open Saturday with Richard Wagner’s “Tannhauser.” Spokesman Ewen Balfour said the dispute had forced cancellation of the dress rehearsal, the opening and the second performance, which had been scheduled for Wednesday. Cancellations cost the state-subsidized opera house about $69,300 for each lost night. Balfour said the orchestra accepted a 4% pay raise, but the chorus wanted nearly 10% to gain parity with the rival English National Opera, where the chorus minimum is about $313.50 a week.