No harmony in Las Vegas Philharmonic legal dispute

This symphonic relationship is ending with a cymbals crash.

Former Las Vegas Philharmonic executive director Anne Berquist has filed a lawsuit against the long-standing Southern Nevada nonprofit, alleging insurance fraud and has “discriminatorily paid additional portions of the health insurance premiums of select” employees.

The former exec also claimed she was a victim of a “concerted campaign of retaliatory conduct,” including verbal abuse, during her time with the Philharmonic. The suit routinely singles out Philharmonic Board of Directors Chairwoman Jeri Crawford at the center of the allegations.

Berquist was terminated on Jan. 25, after eight months in the position. She has since been replaced on an interim basis by former Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera Executive Director Alice Sauro.

As reported Monday by my colleague Katelyn Newberg, the suit further claims that Crawford directed Berquist not to inform board members or LVP employees of its $250,000 Shuttered Venue Operators Grant designed to help venues and companies recover from pandemic shortfalls. The grant was awarded in November. The suit claims Berquist refused to follow that directive.

The suit also alleges Crawford embarked on a campaign to “sabotage Ms. Berquist’s professional performance,” and an allegation to some symphony musicians — and also LVP Musicians Union President Jack Gaughan — that Berquist was “incapable of discharging her professional duties.”

Berquist’s suit was filed on Valentine’s Day. The dispute was originally posted by the classical-music website SlippedDisc. Originally it was erroneously reported Berquist was seeking $15 million in damages. Rather, Berquist’s Las Vegas attorney Steve Gibson said Monday the specific amount his client is seeking in damages will be determined at trial.

“There certainly are considerable damages, and these allegations are clearly meritorious,” Gibson said in a phone chat Monday afternoon. “These are damages that far exceed the jurisdictional threshold.”

The LVP Board of Directors said in a statement Monday morning, “The allegations made in the complaint are plainly false. The Las Vegas Philharmonic Board of Trustees unanimously voted to part ways with Executive Director Anne Berquist due to her performance in the role. The Board is saddened that Ms. Berquist has subsequently chosen to raise false and meritless claims.

“The Philharmonic will vigorously defend itself, while focusing its energy on continuing to provide a premier cultural resource for Clark County’s residents and visitors.”

Berquist’s suit further claims Crawford “personally paid” some employees in the amounts that their salaries had been reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The suit alleges the orchestra did not report the salary payments to the IRS and “failed to pay any employment taxes” associated with the payments.

In December, Berquist sent a letter to the board reporting the “financial misconduct and the retaliatory conduct,” the suit states. Berquist was placed on administrative leave, then was fired Jan. 25 following a mediation meeting with Crawford that “concluded without a settlement.”

“The LVP terminated Ms. Berquist in retaliation for Ms. Berquist’s refusal to participate in the Financial Misconduct and Ms. Berquist’s stated intention to report Financial Misconduct to the appropriate governmental authorities,” the suit states.

Later Monday, LVP spokeswoman Michele Madole declined to answer in which specific areas the board felt Berquist was deficient in her role. The Philharmonic rep also did not address if there would be any changes to the Philharmonic’s recruiting procedures. Madole said LVP would address a lot of the public’s questions in its response motion to the court. No date has yet been set for the case.

The Philharmonic was founded in 1998, and is currently under music direction of Donato Cabrera. The company’s next performance is its “Brass With Class” Spotlight Series, featuring Nathan Tanouye on trombone, Bill Bernatis on horn and Juiling Hsu on piano.

Berquist was hired as the company’s executive director after a high-level, nationwide recruiting campaign. The complaint indicates she was in talks with LVP from early November through the end of December 2020. The accomplished cellist and veteran executive is originally from Douai in northern France. She served as an artistic director at Disneyland Paris, then worked at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.

Berquist more recently was Executive Director of the Arts Council in Kalamazoo, Mich., for seven years, along with working as a public-relations rep.

Gibson spoke to his client’s intent in leveling the lawsuit, saying, “Ms. Berquist intends to pursue these claims to an appropriate resolution.”

Cool Hang Alert

Majestic Repertory Theatre is staging a special midnight showing of “The Craft: The Unauthorized Musical Parody” on Saturday. Katie Marie Jones (who works T-Mobile Arena during Golden Knights Games and also frequents Mondays Dark), and Caitlin Ary (late of “Baz”) co-star. The musical is a satire of the 1996 cult horror movie, filled with 199s hits. Tickets run $40 for VIP, $30 for GA. Go to majesticrepertory.com for details.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.