Working at Carnegie Hall Sure Has Its Advantages
Wall Streeters can expect to see annual bonuses jump 40 percent this year. But working for a bank requires you to wear a suit, sit behind a desk all day, and perform tasks that are often exceptionally boring. Why not become a stagehand at Carnegie Hall instead? You can show up in jeans, you'll get plenty of exercise, and while you won't make quite as much money, you'll sure come close!
The stagehand who oversee props at the concert hall collected $530,044 in salary and benefits last year, according to Bloomberg, which is more than Carnegie Hall's CFO and general manager took home. And his job isn't nearly as taxing as you might think:
Producers who work there said a prop manager usually moves and supervises the moving of objects that aren’t plugged in, such as a piano or music stands. An electrician handles objects that get plugged in, like microphones and amplifiers, while carpenters are involved in the construction and handling of scenery.
Those guys did pretty well for themselves, too. The average salary for the two carpenters and two electricians on staff was $430,543.
But it's not just unionized labor that's making out nicely at the concert hall. The Times reports that an architectural firm run by the son-in-law of Sandy Weill, the chairman of Carnegie Hall's board, collected $1.45 million in payments during the 2007-8 season.
Carnegie Hall Stagehand Moving Props Makes $530,044 [Bloomberg]
Wall Street 40% Bonus Rise Feeds Orders for $43 Steak [Bloomberg]
Carnegie Hall Tax Return Shows $1.45 Million Payment to Architects [NYT]