In the past, the opera company assembled an orchestra from local union musicians, which sometimes included SDS players between symphony dates.

Opera company general director Ian Campbell said that the move to secure the SDS for the opera's performances would provide operagoers with "better musicians. . . more exceptional talent."

The deal does not affect the musicians' contracts with the symphony. According to Campbell, the opera's agreement is with the symphony and not the musicians. The opera will simply pay for musicians' services, although the pay rate was not disclosed.

The San Diego Opera's 40th-anniversary season begins on January 29 with Strauss's Die Fledermaus.