Save SF OperaCitizens Concerned for SF Opera← Back to the evidence

Public petition · September 2026

No confidence.
Save the music.

A fair contract by opening night—or a change in leadership.

JOINthe citizens standing with the orchestra

To Barbara A. Wolfe, Chair; Jack Calhoun, President; and the San Francisco Opera Board of Directors:

The petition

We call on the Board to reach a fair, multi-year agreement with the San Francisco Opera Orchestra before the scheduled September 12 opening night.

  1. Reject reductions to guaranteed compensation, work weeks, and performance opportunity.
  2. Provide at least a 3.8% first-year wage adjustment, matching the latest San Francisco-area CPI.
  3. Publish a credible plan to rebuild audiences, performance weeks, and financial stability.
  4. If no fair agreement is reached by opening night, replace Matthew Shilvock as General Director and commission an independent governance review.

We further call on Board Chair Barbara Wolfe to publicly account for the Board’s strategy and accept the consequences of its outcome. Stewardship is responsibility, not status.

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