United States Opera Co

Vol. 1, No.3 PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY BY AMERICAN GUILD OF MUSICAL ARTISTS, A. F. of L. May, 1947 OFFICERS OFFICES LAWIlENCE TIBBETT New York 19 President 276 West 43rd Street Telephone: LOngacre 5-7508, 9, 10 NOH'VIAN CORDON 1st Vice-President • JULIUS HUEHN 2nd Vice-President Los Angeles 1. B. KORNBLUM EDWAHD HAHHIS 6331 Hollywood Boulevard 3rd Vice President Telephone: Hillside S'l21 ARTHUH KENT 4th Vice-President " San Franscisco MAHTHA LIPTON 5th Vice President THEODORE HALE 216 Pine Street ELIZAHETH HOEPPEL Telephone: Sutter 0855 Recording Secretary " FREDEHICK JAGEL Treasurer Philadelphia G. GILBERT MASON HYMAN R. FAINE 2,07 Walnut Place Executive Secretary Telephone: Lombard 1187 " • JAFFE & JAFFE Counsel Chicago • BEN MEYEIlS BELMONT KINDLER 188 W. Randolph Street Editor Telephone: State 0855 LABOR AT THE CROSSROADS The drive for legislation to limit and emasculate the rights Chorus Equity and other unions. The committee's first ob and benefits that organized labor has been able to achieve jective has been to fight those bills presently being discussed in the past years is reaching a crescendo in many state legis in Congress. This fight is being carried on as you know, latures and particularly in the halls of Congress. Numerous through the personal efforts of each and every member of bills banning various form3 of dosed a01d union shops, bar the 4 A's through meetings, through delegations to Wash gaining on an industry-wide basis, weakening or eliminating ington' through publicity, and through the solicitation of important provisions of the Wagner Labor Act will come the public's support for the defense of labor's rights. How up for discussion and vote in the next few weeks in Congress. effective this program will be can only be determined by the All these bills in one form or another vitally affect you not final vote on the floor of the Congress. only as Agma members, but as members of The Associated Actors and Artists of America, and the United States trade Your Help Is Required union movement. They- affect all of us in terms of the things However, irrespective of the result, in the long run the that Agma can or cannot do through contracts and negotia only safeguard for our own as well as other unions is the tions to achieve better terms and working conditions and to awareness on the part of our members of the consequences see that these terms and conditions remain in effect. that will result from any effort by Congress to halt the pro The Need For Action gress achieved through democratic means by the American labor movement. Every Agma member must know and under Unfortunately, many Agma members are not aware of stand how his own union functions, and how legislation osten the serious consequences if these bills are passed. It is im sibly designed to eliminate the so-called evil practices of labor perative that they so become aware, and that individually in reality mask a desire to deprive American unions of the as well as through Agma and the 4A's, they take an active basis of their strength and effectiveness. Every Agma mem part in seeing that these bills do not see the light of day. ber for his own protection should be aware of this anti-labor To obtain unity of collective action, and to coordinate the drive because if it succeeds, he will have lost the protection strength of 50 thousand unionized artists, the International which union membership offers, and his working conditions Board of the 4 A's set up a joint legislative committee com will then be dictated his employer, an unhappy situation to posed of representatives of Agma, Afra, Actors Equity, Agva, anticipate. Foreign Artists I(IRSTEN FLAGSTAD The continued discussions by Agma Madame Kirsten Flagstad, upon her "BE IT RESOLVED that in view of members, by the Foreign Artist's Com return to the United States, requested the serious statements made in the press mittee, by the Board of Governors, and reinstatement as an Agma member, a concerning Mme. Kirsten Flagstad, the by membership meetings on the vital membership which lapsed when Madame Board does not feel warranted in restor issue of the appearance in the United ing to Mme. Flagstad the privileges of States of foreign artists has been crystal Flagstad left for Norway in 1941. Since full membership in Agma. Nevertheless, lized in a generalized pattern which has _ the matter of Madame Flagstad's status been submitted for negotiation to all in Agma was of concern not only to in view of the fact that such charges hav.e not as yet been substantiated by opera impresarios and producers. One our membership, but to the general of the negotiations has successfully re any official body of our government, of public, the Board of Governors after sulted in a final contract and this pat Mme. Flagstad's native land, or any gov tern is now embodied in the basic agree discussing her reinstatement fully at two ernment, the Board will grant to Mme. ment between Agma, and both the San lengthy meetings, passed the following Flagstad a working permit, subject to Francisco Opera Company and Charles resolution which was released to the revocation, with respect to her engage Wagner. press: ments in this country:" Briefly Agma's position as contained in these ;proposals is as follows: Agma and the opera employers jointly agree that it is to their mutual interest as well as to the interest of American music to Television Outlool~ increase the opportunities in the field of opera for American artists and to The offering to the musical public of organizational setup within the 4 A's assure such American artists equality music in all forms through the medium as well as the provisions as to wages and of opportunity wherever possible. of television will be a reality in what working conditions have not yet been To implement this joint statement of we- suspect to be the not too distant completely formulated. intention, each opera producer agrees to future. Naturally, such production would To do a good job, this Committee limit himself during any year that he strongly affect all of our members re needs information from all members of has a basic contract with Agma as to gardless of whether they be an operatic the 4 A's. Any Agma member who has the number or foreign artists that he artist, comprimario, concert artist, done work in television is urged to come will engage. This number varies with dancer, or chorister. In order to anti to the Agma office, and give whatever each company, and is related to the total cipate any possible development in this information he has about employment number of artists that are engaged, the field the 4 A's has set up a Committee conditions and compensation in this peculiar circumstances of that particular composed of representatives of Agma, field. Television as a medium of enter company, it's needs and it's position in Sag, Afra, Actors Equity, Chorus tainment and education has vast poten Equity and Agva. This committee is now tialities. When it reaches full develop the field of opera. in the process of analyzing the nature ment, it will employ many Agma mem What Is A Foreign Artist? 'of television programs and formulating bers. As a protection for the future, A foreign artist is defined as one who proposals to protect the interests of all this Joint 4 A's Television Committee is not a citizen of the United States or performers, including members of is now working out it's program. As Canada, or a person who has not come Agma, when they work in the television the work of the Committee progresses, into the United States or Canada under field. The problems are exceptionally we will keep AGMA members fully in an immigration quota with the inten complex, and the details of both the formed. tion of making the United States or Canada his permanent home, or a per son who has not been engaged by a professional opera company for 3 or artist that a producer might wish to State Opera Ass'n Inc. more consecutive years immediately pre employ. However, since each producer Mr. Ernest J. Santoro and the State ceding his first engagement with the particular company that has signed the will be limited in the total number of Opera Association, Inc. were placed on . basic agreement. foreign artists that he may engage, he Agma's unfair list some time ago. Mr. will of necessity select the best that is Santoro has since paid to Agma money Prospects For The Fuiure available. Agma does not believe that due a number of artists, and Agma has This pattern of a joint program bet an artist of high caliber will be prevent distributed this money properly. Since ween Agma and opera producers is de signed to make available to the Amer ed by this pattern from singing in the Mr. Santoro has thus fulfilled his finan ican public the best there is in the world United States. On the other hand, it will cial obligations to the artists concerned, today of operatic talent yet at the same enable Americans with talent to compete the Board of Governors, on Tuesday, time to so equalize opportunities, that on fair and equal terms with any other April 15, removed the State Opera As yourig American artists can look for artist whether he be American or not. sociation from the unfair list. ward to a reasonable possibility of em ployment and advancement in their Agma feels confident that these pro Agma's members are hereby notified chosen career as operatic singers.

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