This will directly affect any singer who gets a guest contract in a German opera houe! It happened yesterday, March 7. The Theater Worker’s Union (GDBA) and the group representing all German oper houses (Deutsche Bühnen Verein) reached an agreement which governs all Guest Contracts. It goes into effect June 1, so if you get any job as a guest this will affect you! Its most important provisions cover payments for cancelled performances as well as payments if you get sick during a rehearsal period. It’s obviously a result of the chaos caused by the Covid pandemic (know here as the Corona Zeiten). You and/or your agent will of course have to negotiate the specifics of salary, housing/living expenses, travel, etc, but these will be affected by the overall agreement.
The Deutsche Bühnen Verein includes all publicly funded theaters and many others, covering 685 theaters in all so this agreement will cover anyone who gets a theater job as a guest. I’m not sure what happens to anyone who signs a contract between now an June, so keep that in mind.
Stay tuned!