The end of a Boston Symphony Orchestra summer season marked by discontent comes amid tense contract negotiations with union musicians and threats of a historic strike.
Since the March announcement that the BSO wouldn't renew conductor Andris Nelsons's contract after the 2027 Tanglewood season, there has been turmoil in the ranks of the 145-year-old organization.
Through the season at the orchestra's summer home in the Berkshires, fans and musicians alike have worn red roses to show support for the Latvian who has been at its helm since 2014.
On Saturday, the union that represents orchestra members — the Boston Musicians' Association — announced it had authorized the first strike in the BSO's history ahead of a Sunday night bargaining deadline that also marked the end of Tanglewood's 2026 season.
The message cited "the turmoil of the last six months caused by BSO leadership’s decision to terminate the Orchestra’s music director" and its failure "to agree to a collective bargaining agreement that would begin to restore the trust that they have destroyed and offer a fair contract to the musicians who are the heart and soul of the BSO."
Union President David Rufino's release also faulted the BSO for not agreeing to the union's call for a professional mediator to assist in the contract standoff.
On Sunday, BSO President and CEO Chad Smith announced that, pending a ratification vote from the union on a new three-year contract, an extension to the existing labor agreement between the musicians and the orchestra had been approved for an additional 48-hour period that expires at the end of Tuesday.
