Kennedy Center’s opening gala is back on after musicians strike ends with a new deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Kennedy Center and the union representing musicians in the National Symphony Orchestra have come to an agreement on a short-term contract after a brief strike that threatened to derail Saturday’s season-opening gala. The DC Federation of Musicians, local 161-710 of the American Federation of Musicians, struck Friday following the Sept. 2 expiration of its collective bargaining agreement, forcing the Kennedy Center to announce the cancellation of its concert. But within hours, the Kennedy Center announced that an 18-month labor agreement had been agreed upon, and the concert and the rest of the 2024-25 season will proceed as scheduled.