Sydney Symphony Orchestra board's dramatic u-turn on same-sex marriage
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After days of turmoil and anger that threatened to tear the Sydney Symphony Orchestra apart, the orchestra’s board has staged a stunning back-flip on the issue of same-sex marriage, admitting their neutral position was “misjudged”.
The board went on to publicly to proclaim its support for the “yes” vote.
Emma Dunch: Dramatic intervention
The move comes alongside a dramatic intervention from New York from incoming chief executive Emma Dunch – who has been in a relationship with her same-sex partner for 17 years – and who also unequivocally declared her support for same-sex marriage.
“As the incoming chief executive officer of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra next January and an out, gay leader, I am proud to express my personal and professional commitment to advancing equality and inclusion for the LGBTQIA community, and to affirm my unflinching support for marriage equality,” said Dunch. “I believe that same-sex marriage is inevitable in Australia, and that this outcome is right and just.”
Staff were first told of the board’s original position in an explosive meeting last week, with some reportedly walking out on hearing the news.
One staff member, who didn’t wish to be named, colourfully described the situation as a “clusterf**k”.
In its statement the eight-person board had said it “strongly supported” all citizens’ right to have a say on the issue but “does not feel it has the right to take a position and commit our stakeholders to one side or the other and has decided it should remain neutral”.
That position was subsequently branded a “disgrace” by veteran arts figure Leo Schofield.
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Crucially, the board decision was made in the absence of the orchestra’s musicians, who were on leave after returning from a tour of China.
Earlier, several of the performers privately expressed disquiet and anger but none were prepared to go on the record.
They were concerned that they were not consulted and were now in the “firing line” as the public face of the orchestra.
The musicians issued their own statement on Sunday declaring their unequivocal support for the “yes” campaign.
“We are proud of our history as a rich and diverse arts organisation performing every week to thousands of people who share our passion for the arts,” continued the statement. “We believe in an inclusive and fair society for all.”
The reaction on social media to the board’s original position was been swift and brutal with the orchestra’s Facebook page flooded by more than 1000 comments, the vast majority of which expressed anger, disgust or sadness at the board decision.
Former SSO principal trumpet Daniel Mendelow was the first to comment, expressing his “disappointment” and calling on the legacy of the SSO’s celebrated former chief conductor, the late Stuart Challender.
“This is not how the orchestra he loved and virtually gave his life for should be honouring his memory,” Mendelow wrote.
Commenter Denise Day echoed the views of many others.
“Pathetic. If you don’t openly support equality then I’ll no longer be supporting the SSO,” she wrote.
Others accused the board of cowardice and suggested it would have been better not to say anything rather than try to adopt a position of neutrality.
“If you can’t support equality, at least be awkwardly silent like the state institutions and save the embarrassment and the mess that the SSO staff and performers have to deal with because of your stupidity,” wrote Luke de Zilva.
However, a small minority applauded the board’s move, believing it was not the role of an institution such as the SSO to advocate for one side or another. These include Kathy Nguyen.
“Finally. A company that respects our right to an opinion,” she wrote. “Thank you so much.”
One theory about the board’s original decision was that it feared offending socially conservative donors and subscribers both here and in China, where the orchestra often tours.
However, an unspecified number of supporters already reportedly called the SSO to cancel subscriptions in protest at the move.
The SSO’s new position now aligns it with many of the nation’s other prominent arts organisations who have declared in favour of a “yes” vote in the plebiscite. They include Opera Australia, Australian Ballet, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
Article source: http://watoday.com.au/queensland/alleged-whistleblower-cop-rick-flori-to-run-for-election-20170924-p4yw2j.html
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