The Liceu did not expect to find itself at the beginning of this year in full talks with its artistic groups to renew audiovisual rights. The agreement in force for the last decade expired on August 31 and negotiations for its renewal began months ago, so it was to be expected that they would not affect the online broadcasts of the season that is now beginning, not even this 'Eugene Onegin' scheduled for Liceu Live this October 8.
However, the union representatives of the Cor and the Orquestra Simfònica del Gran Teatre have not seen their demands regarding income from audiovisual rights met, so the theater has decided to suspend the entire Liceu Live subscription, which also included the opera 'Antony
Rather than find itself negotiating against the clock and under the pressure of its own audiovisual calendar, the theater has chosen to cancel the project with the orchestra and choir. At the end of the day, and even though it is one of the new darlings of the house, the disagreement only affects these three titles and not the rest of the Liceu's activity. The theater announces that it will contact subscribers to refund the subscription amount with immediate effect.
The Liceu Live platform emerged a couple of years ago, so its number of subscribers abroad is not notable yet, so its suspension this season does not have to be a reputational stain for the lyrical coliseum on La Rambla. , if you know how to communicate it properly to a more local audience. In its take-off phase it provided 100,000 euros in the first year and 300,000 in the second, so it is not yet in a position to absorb a substantial increase in the audiovisual rights of the orchestra and choir musicians.
It was ten years ago when, after a 24-month audiovisual break, the theater and its artistic workers reached this agreement that has now expired. The context was that of an economic crisis, a situation that had caused a bleeding wound in the Liceu. Wound from which the theater is now beginning to compensate.
Thus, it is likely that the long-term future will be perceived as a glass half full by artistic bodies, while for theater management prudence will never be insufficient after such a journey through the desert. On the other hand, there is the legal requirement of this increase in the wage bill, since to a certain extent the income from rights would form part of the salary. And as a private foundation but in the public sector, the Liceu observes the salary increases in the General State Budgets.
"We continue working to build an agreement that benefits everyone within the legal framework that governs the institution itself and that guarantees its long-term viability," he points out in a statement that the theater management released this afternoon.
The Liceu platform will continue to be active in all content that does not involve the appearance of its artistic bodies, although on Liceu Live you can continue enjoying those titles that were broadcast last season.
