Labor unions reacted angrily to the move, accusing the powerful Muti of forcing out Fontana. A strike called in anticipation of Fontana's sacking had already forced the cancellation of Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades on February 22; musicians and stagehands now say they will strike on the opening night of each production and will shut down the entire nine-performance run next month of Hindemith's Sancta Susanna and Azio Corghi and Jos_ Saramago's Il dissoluto assoluto, which were to be performed as a double bill.
Salvatore Carrubba, Milan's culture councilman, also resigned in protest.