Philadelphia Orchestra filing for bankruptcy (to escape union contracts)

CBSNews/AP ^ | 04/18/2011 | Staff

[Jim from C-Town]

Yes, Cincinnati has a very well respected orchestra, however the most highly regarded and best orchestra's in the country are generally considered to be the big five of Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Philly & The NY Philharmonic. The San Francisco is also a top flight U. S. Orchestra. They are all full size full scale orchestras with extensive recordings and World renown. Most go on extended World tours every season.

According to Gramophone the top World Orchestra's are:

Gramophone’s complete list of Top 20 orchestras 2010:

The Top 10
1) Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam
2) Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
3) Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
4) London Symphony Orchestra
5) Chicago Symphony Orchestra
6) Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
7) Cleveland Orchestra
8) Los Angeles Philharmonic
9) Budapest Festival Orchestra
10) Dresden Staatskapelle

The Next 10
11) Boston Symphony Orchestra
12) New York Philharmonic
13) San Francisco Symphony
14) Mariinsky Theater Orchestra
15) Russian National Orchestra
16) Leningrad Philharmonic
17) Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra
18) Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
19) Saito Kinen Symphony Orchestra
20) Czech Philharmonic

Unfortunately ALL of the top U.S. Orchestra's are operating at a loss. Generally in the $2 - $4million range. Most have had to scale back wages with the union musicians. Cleveland had a strike a few years ago over wage and benefits that saw a 5% wage decrease and a trimming of some benefits.

[gusopol3]

too old for the general classical music ping list, but I thought you ought to know, if you missed it.