Minnesota Orchestra

On the first Sunday of every month, WRTI broadcasts a special edition of Sunday Classical, focused on classical new releases. The program is hosted by Mark Pinto, who highlights some of the July selections here.

This week, the ensemble became the first professional U.S. orchestra since 1999 to play in Cuba — 86 years after its first visit to Havana.

Musicians and management ended a 15-month standoff on Tuesday night, with each side offering some concessions. Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr found out what people are saying on the ground.

After 15 months, management and the musicians have agreed on a contract that will settle their dispute. The performers agreed to pay cuts and to pay more of their health care expenses. Management did not get concessions that were as large as they first sought.

By the time 2013 ends, the Minnesota Orchestra will not have played a single note in its own concert hall due to a labor dispute between musicians and management. It's an emblem of the problems facing non-profit arts institutions around the country.

A blogger charges that management at the Minneapolis-based symphony may have attempted to undercut pro-labor organizing efforts — several months before talks between the musicians and the administration failed. The orchestra association says that they were just doing their job.