Opera Pact Is Reached; Pickets Gone : San Diego County

SAN DIEGO — Pickets outside Civic Theatre were gone Friday and the San Diego Opera issued a statement saying that the threatened production of “Madama Butterfly” will go on April 15.

Representatives from both sides of the labor riff between makeup artists and wig makers and the San Diego Opera met Thursday night, but neither side would reveal specifics about the outcome of the 4 1/2-hour meeting.

“We reached an agreement,” opera labor attorney David Wolds said Friday. “It takes care of most of the problems of this production (‘Madama Butterfly’).”

Wolds would not detail specifics of the agreement, but said the opera plans to withdraw the counter-complaint it filed with the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday against the picketing wig makers and makeup artists.

Makeup Artists and Hair Stylists Local 706 filed an unfair labor practices petition against the San Diego Opera with the

National Labor Relations Board on Jan. 5. The petition alleges that the opera unlawfully ordered the members of its wig and makeup department in December to return season contracts before the members could accept or reject the contracts.

Members of International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 905 (wardrobe attendants) and Local 122 (stagehands) had refused to cross the picket line that went up Monday, putting opera performances scheduled for this week and next in doubt. The American Federation of Musicians Local 325 had told opera orchestra musicians that the picket line was sanctioned and that they could legally refuse to cross the line.

Its its counter-petition Wednesday, the opera argued that Local 706 did not represent a majority of the opera’s wig and makeup employees.

The first orchestra rehearsals for “Madama Butterfly” went on as scheduled Friday, according to the opera. Tonight’s performance by mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne will also go on as scheduled, an opera spokeswoman said, adding that there will be no picket lines outside the theater.

Thursday night’s meeting was attended by IATSE representative Walter Blanchard; Howard Smit, business representative of Local 706; opera production director Gregory Hirsch, opera controller John Sleeper, and opera attorneys Wolds and Mark Bennett.

Issues remaining unresolved will be settled through the legal process, according to the opera news release.