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MECHELEN, Belgium, Jul 3, 2006 (UPI via COMTEX) -- When a 40-member Belgian chamber orchestra lost its government funding, it turned to the Internet eBay auction site in a last-ditch bid to stay afloat.
Bidding for the Beethoven Academie based in Mechelen, Belgium, had reached 100,000 euros ($128,064.90) when the orchestra abruptly ended the auction Monday after being told by eBay representatives it was illegal to buy or sell people, PlaybillArts.com reported.
The orchestra's communications officer, Stephanie Adriaansen, said the top bid actually was placed by their production manager, who had gathered a group of friends together to boost the price in an attempt to gain some media publicity.
Although the figure may sound like a lot, she said it was less than 1-10th of the lost annual subsidy from the government.
"I am afraid that the orchestra will die after all," she told PlaybillArts. "It could be next week, it could be next month, it could be after six months."
URL: www.upi.com Copyright 2006 by United Press International
