Nice Opera: artists announce a strike from November 11 to 13

Artists at the Nice Opera House are denouncing insufficient salary conditions and a deterioration of their working conditions. After several months without progress in discussions with the new municipal executive, a strike notice was filed for November 11, 12 and 13, 2026, on the occasion of performances of The Merry Widow.

The mobilization is taking shape at the Nice Opera House. On October 30th, artists from the orchestra and choir jointly addressed the audience during the Brahms/Strauss concert. An intervention intended to alert to their professional and financial situation, already denounced in December 2025. Since this first public statement, no concrete progress is said to have been achieved.

At the heart of the demands are salaries, considered insufficient given the level of requirements for recruitment and the cost of living in Nice. Young artists, particularly in the choir and ballet, begin their careers with approximately 1,600 euros net per month. Recruited following high-level competitions open to international candidates, some face significant difficulties finding housing in the Azur capital.

According to the artists’ representatives, this situation leads to precariousness which sometimes results in resignations. The three artistic groups of the institution, the orchestra, the ballet, and the choir, are thus facing a loss of attractiveness, more frequent departures, and an insufficient number of candidates in recruitment competitions.

The orchestra, ballet and choir warn about their future

The difficulties are not limited to salaries. Within the orchestra, musicians must also bear significant expenses for the purchase and maintenance of their instruments. Individual debts related to this equipment would reach several tens of thousands of euros.

Staffing levels are another cause for concern. Over ten years, around twenty musician positions are said to have been frozen, according to the artists. A development that weighs on the functioning of the group and fuels concerns about its ability to maintain its activities.

For the Nice Opera Ballet, dancers are also denouncing the precariousness of their contractual situation. Contract renewal is said to be subject to considerable pressure, with decisions described as arbitrary and based on criteria contested by those concerned.

The Opera Choir, for its part, expresses a situation of distress and voices concerns about the sustainability of the group. The three artistic bodies are thus demanding a response from the city of Nice on their salary conditions, staffing levels, and professional prospects.

Discussions undertaken during last winter between the union organization and the previous municipal executive were interrupted by the municipal elections. Since the arrival of the new team, union representatives speak of nearly eight months of oral promises, without opening a genuine negotiation process.

In the face of this lack of dialogue, a strike notice has been filed for November 11, 12 and 13. The disruptions could affect performances of The Merry Widow, scheduled at the Nice Opera House over these three days.

The union organization announces its support for all staff members of the institution, both for this mobilization and for any future actions. The artists are now awaiting the municipality to open discussions and provide responses to their demands.