As you may have read in Pizzicato, the National Orchestra of Belgium is supposed to merge with the orchestra of the opera La Monnaie in Brussels within the next years. This means, that NOB would simply stop to exist, since according to the Ministry of Culture, it would be absorbed by the opera house. Now, NOB has launched a petition in order to convince politicians to refrain from the merger. The orchestra musicians say: « We feel however, that backed by a long tradition of nearly eighty years, the NOB fulfils its cultural mission very well, both by the seventy-some concerts it performs each year and by its cultural radiance abroad as a much appreciated guest orchestra on the international scene. Sadly, once again culture would be cruelly affected, not only by the permanent loss of a large number of jobs but also by the curtailed cultural offer to the public. »
So, if you want to sign the petition, here is the link.
