Atlanta Ballet Musicians Picket Season Opener Over Orchestra Cutbacks
On September 19, musicians from the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra staged a protest outside the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre during the opening performances of Passion and Pride, which incorporated recorded music. This demonstration, organized by the Atlanta Federation of Musicians Local 148-462 and announced on September 18, aimed to draw attention to the lack of live music and rally support for it. According to union secretary-treasurer Bill Johnston, the musicians discovered in spring 2026 that the orchestra would not be included and have been seeking to reverse this decision for six months. This season marks the smallest orchestral involvement in two decades. The Atlanta Ballet expressed its dedication to the musicians while prioritizing resources for The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, urging attendees to support live music through donations and advocacy.
Key facts
- Atlanta Ballet musicians protested outside the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on September 19 during the season-opening run of Passion and Pride
- The production used recorded music instead of the company's live orchestra
- Protesters are members of the Atlanta Federation of Musicians Local 148-462 and announced the action in a September 18 release
- Cellist Alana Bennett said live musicians bring energy that recordings cannot replicate
- Union secretary-treasurer Bill Johnston said musicians learned in spring 2026 the orchestra would not be used and spent about six months seeking a reversal
- Atlanta Ballet said it focused orchestra services on the four-week run of The Nutcracker and the five-performance run of its new Swan Lake
- The orchestra has 48 positions, and Johnston said this season marks its smallest role in roughly two decades
- The program featured Remi Wörtmeyer's Significant Others, Melissa Hough's world premiere Plagued Houses, and George Balanchine's Stars and Stripes
- In 2006 Atlanta Ballet eliminated its orchestra, and by 2009 an agreement with the union restored it for select performances, helped by a $200,000 gift from trustee Patti Wallace
Entities
Artists
- Alana Bennett
- Remi Wörtmeyer
- Melissa Hough
- George Balanchine
- Fanny Mendelssohn
- Felix Mendelssohn
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
- John Philip Sousa
- Barry Hughson
- Patti Wallace
- Pierre Ruhe
- Andrew Alexander
- Carol Badaracco Padgett
- Steve Murray
- Jordan Owen
- Anne Hathaway
- Ryan Murphy
Institutions
- Atlanta Ballet
- Atlanta Ballet Orchestra
- Atlanta Federation of Musicians Local 148-462
- Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
- ArtsATL
- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
- KSU Wind Ensemble
Locations
- Atlanta
- United States
- Georgia
- Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre