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Evicted from their home in the orchestra pit at the Benedum, members of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Orchestra instead held picket signs Thursday night to protest their replacement by recorded music.

More than 100 demonstrators, many carrying signs that read, "Ballet Musicians Locked Out," marched outside the Benedum Center in the Cultural District. Inside, ballet dancers warmed up for the opening night performance of "Carmen," the first production of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's 2005-06 season.

The protest was prompted by the Aug. 1 announcement by ballet management that they would use recorded music for the season. Executives at the financially struggling ballet said the move would save them $551,000 and help erase a deficit of $899,000.

The news, which came during negotiations for a new five-year contract, stunned musicians. Their union, Musicians Union Local 60-471, has filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the ballet with the National Labor Relations Board.

"We're here because we want the board of trustees and ballet management to respond to their audience, their subscribers, their patrons and restore live music," said Cynthia Anderson, of Moon, co-chair of the Pittsburgh Opera and Ballet Orchestra Committee, the negotiating arm of the orchestra. Her daughter Beth, 12, carried a sign that read, "Future Subscriber If There's Live Music."

The protest also included at least 15 members of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, some in white tie and tails, and members of orchestras from Akron, Ohio and Toronto. Also taking part were members of the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra and Civic Light Opera, as well as music students and faculty from Duquesne and Carnegie Mellon universities.

Some wore lime green shirts with a red slash over the image of a cassette. Others handed out leaflets and stickers that read, "I Support the PBT Orchestra! Keep It Live!"

Linda Morton, principal bassoonist with the ballet orchestra, displayed "The Weeping Nutcracker," an 8-foot-tall canvas she had painted. One demonstrator in a tuxedo carried a sign that read, "Ballet + Canned Music + Dirty Dancing."

Jeff Mangone, of Ross, principal bassist for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Orchestra, said many in the group have had to find work to compensate for the estimated $7,000 they normally would have made playing for the ballet.

One of his students, Jeff Moschak, of Ross, wore a sign that read, "Balanchine and Tchaikowsky Would Demand Live Music."

"As a music student, it affects everybody who's going to be looking for potential jobs in music," said Moschak, 20. "There aren't that many opportunities as it is."

The demonstration delayed the curtain by 15 minutes and prompted a wry aside about "extra entertainment" from artistic director Terrence Orr during his pre-show remarks.

In the Benedum lobby, ballet board chair Jeanne Gleason was frustrated, but said the organization was working to get the musicians back next season.

"All of this very negative publicity has impacted us," Gleason said. "We're trying as hard as we can to get the music back. This doesn't help. I keep trying to reiterate that this is not a negotiating ploy. We've done what we had to. It's sad that they think that we're holding out, that there's money somewhere."

During intermission, Jack and Helen Hoffman, of Hampton, ballet subscribers and patrons for 25 years, seemed regretful but resigned over the use of recorded music.

"There's no comparison," said Helen Hoffman. "It seems empty."

"There is a difference, but we understand the financial end of it," Jack Hoffman said.

Patricia Wilde, former artistic director of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, also expressed regret about the lack of music.

"Live music, of course, there's the conductor and having the life of the musicians," she said. But Wilde added that most people probably would forget they were listening to taped music. "You get used to the tape. It's still great music."

Ballet subscriber Donna Ricci, of Whitehall, said she noticed a difference in the dancers' performance at first but sometimes forgot she was listening to canned music.

"Being a subscriber," she said, "I'll continue to support them."

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