Met's General Manager to Take Over Labor Talks One of the more unusual duo acts in opera is breaking up. Four years after the general manager of the Metropolitan Opera, Peter Gelb, took the surprising step of assigning his predecessor, Joseph Volpe, to the lead role in labor negotiations with the company's 16 unions, the arrangement has come to an end. Mr. Gelb said in an interview that he would lead negotiations himself this year as the Met seeks new agreements with the unions, whose contracts are up at the end of July. "I think it's the appropriate time, now that I've had the experience of overseeing from the sidelines several negotiations, to assume the lead position," Mr. Gelb said. Some union officials - who had welcomed the involvement of Mr. Volpe, whose long Met career took him from apprentice carpenter in the stagehands" union to general manager - expressed concern that the change could be a harbinger of a contentious round of talks. Alan S. Gordon, the executive director of the American Guild of Musical Artists, which represents the chorus, singers and stage managers, said, "The loss of Joe Volpe from the bargaining table at the upcoming union negotiations between the Metropolitan Opera and the singers" union exponentially increases the likelihood of a strike." Peter Gelb, above, will take over negotiations from Joseph Volpe. Tino Gagliardi, the president of Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians, which represents the orchestra, said, "We have a longstanding bargaining history with the Met, and we're just looking forward to negotiating a fair contract with whoever sits at their side of the table." Mr. Gelb said that his goal was to have contracts settled before the deadline, and that he thought it was important for the general manager, who is responsible for running the opera house, to present his case to company members himself. "It's not just that I have a strong sense of masochism," he said. Mr. Volpe. Christopher Capozziello for The New York Times The Met is an enormous, complex operation: In the fiscal year that ended July 31, the company said it spent $327 million, and had a deficit of $2.8 million. The relationship between Mr. Gelb, who arrived at the Met as a change agent, and Mr. Volpe, his predecessor, has long been of interest in the opera world. Mr. Gelb said that Mr. Volpe would continue to serve as a consultant and praised him, saying, "His role and importance in the history of the Met is unchallenged, and certainly my desire is to continue to seek his advice, which is very valuable." Mr. Volpe said in an email he was unavailable for comment. The Met will use a new outside labor lawyer in the talks as well, Mr. Gelb said: Howard Robbins of the Proskauer law firm. Personalities have played a role in past negotiations. Sir Rudolf Bing, who led the Met from 1950 to 1972, recalled in his memoir that Herman Gray, a union lawyer, once asked him, "Are you trying to show your contempt for the way I conduct a bargaining session?" Bing replied: "On the contrary, Mr. Gray, I am trying very hard to conceal it."