Comments on: When Operas Attack http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/ Exposing the ugly truths about the Bush Administration. Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:20:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1.3 by: The Mahablog » Tribal Loyalty and Free Expression http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-281036 Sun, 16 Sep 2007 02:15:06 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-281036 [...] About a year ago Little Lulu was up in arms because the Berlin Opera had canceled a production of Mozart’s Idomeneo that was disrespectful of Mohammad and might have given offense to Muslims. “Jihadists hate Western art and music,” she said. But last March she crusaded against a sculpture that she decided — purely a matter of opinion — was disrespectful of Jesus. Lulu doesn’t think much of Western art either, I guess. [...] […] About a year ago Little Lulu was up in arms because the Berlin Opera had canceled a production of Mozart’s Idomeneo that was disrespectful of Mohammad and might have given offense to Muslims. “Jihadists hate Western art and music,” she said. But last March she crusaded against a sculpture that she decided — purely a matter of opinion — was disrespectful of Jesus. Lulu doesn’t think much of Western art either, I guess. […]

]]> by: PianoTrade http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-276353 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 18:18:51 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-276353 <strong>PianoTrade</strong> Hello :) I bookmarked this blog. Thanks heaps for this!... if anyone else has anything, it would be much appreciated. Great website HOT Piano Links http://www.klavier.m256.net PianoTrade

Hello :) I bookmarked this blog. Thanks heaps for this!… if anyone else has anything, it would be much appreciated. Great website HOT Piano Links http://www.klavier.m256.net

]]> by: The Mahablog » Hate Speech and Its Consequences http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-37008 Sat, 07 Oct 2006 17:26:41 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-37008 [...] Freedom of speech is a fundamental value in the West. Yet it has never been absolute, even here in the Land of the Free. The German Opera of Berlin was slammed recently for canceling a production of Mozart&#8217;s Idomeneo in which Jesus, Mohammed, and the Buddha are decapitated, a scene not in the original opera. Police had warned the opera company management that the production might incite violence. As a matter of principle I think the production should have been performed, even though (as an opera buff) most artistic revisionism of standard repertoire annoys me. Just get the best singers you can get and put them in pretty costumes and perform the damnfool opera, I say. [...] […] Freedom of speech is a fundamental value in the West. Yet it has never been absolute, even here in the Land of the Free. The German Opera of Berlin was slammed recently for canceling a production of Mozart’s Idomeneo in which Jesus, Mohammed, and the Buddha are decapitated, a scene not in the original opera. Police had warned the opera company management that the production might incite violence. As a matter of principle I think the production should have been performed, even though (as an opera buff) most artistic revisionism of standard repertoire annoys me. Just get the best singers you can get and put them in pretty costumes and perform the damnfool opera, I say. […]

]]> by: Michael http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-35571 Thu, 28 Sep 2006 23:56:31 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-35571 Maha said that if people in the States found out about Madonna's calculated insults, *they* (in the States, not in Germany) would Dixie-Chick her. Not that Germans would. The whole point is that the morons in the States act like Nazis, and that Germans have learned that lesson, thus don't. Maha said that if people in the States found out about Madonna’s calculated insults, *they* (in the States, not in Germany) would Dixie-Chick her. Not that Germans would.

The whole point is that the morons in the States act like Nazis, and that Germans have learned that lesson, thus don’t.

]]> by: maha http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-35542 Thu, 28 Sep 2006 19:49:37 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-35542 <i>In any case, to compare Madonna’s calculated insult (comparable to the kinds of “scandals” the Rolling Stones have been up to to generate publicity) with what happened to the Dixie Chicks here displays a certain amount of ignorance about Germany.</i> I wasn't comparing "Madonna's calculated insult" in Germany to what happened to the Dixie Chicks. I was saying that <i>if</i> it had become widely publicized in the U.S. that Madonna was lumping Bush together with Mao et al., she might have been Dixie Chicked <i>in the U.S.</i> The only reason she wasn't, IMO, is that the details of Madonna's tour weren't that well publicized. I only knew about the cross and thorn thing. In any case, to compare Madonna’s calculated insult (comparable to the kinds of “scandals” the Rolling Stones have been up to to generate publicity) with what happened to the Dixie Chicks here displays a certain amount of ignorance about Germany.

I wasn’t comparing “Madonna’s calculated insult” in Germany to what happened to the Dixie Chicks. I was saying that if it had become widely publicized in the U.S. that Madonna was lumping Bush together with Mao et al., she might have been Dixie Chicked in the U.S. The only reason she wasn’t, IMO, is that the details of Madonna’s tour weren’t that well publicized. I only knew about the cross and thorn thing.

]]> by: Joerg http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-35534 Thu, 28 Sep 2006 19:01:48 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-35534 Well, you know, for all the noise some people make about stuff like Madonna's in Germany, most people actually don't give a shit (I mean who takes Madonna seriously?), and - of course - authorities will pretend they look into it and find nothing wrong with it. As for whether any of that stuff - Madonna or opera or whatever else - is good taste is an entirely different matter - and you can't get arrested for having bad taste (neither here nor there). In any case, to compare Madonna's calculated insult (comparable to the kinds of "scandals" the Rolling Stones have been up to to generate publicity) with what happened to the Dixie Chicks here displays a certain amount of ignorance about Germany. Quite unlike in the US, where people actually destroy people's CD in public, stuff like that isn't done in Germany any longer, because, you know, a) it's bad taste and b) it just looks too suspiciously like what the Nazis did. Well, you know, for all the noise some people make about stuff like Madonna’s in Germany, most people actually don’t give a shit (I mean who takes Madonna seriously?), and - of course - authorities will pretend they look into it and find nothing wrong with it. As for whether any of that stuff - Madonna or opera or whatever else - is good taste is an entirely different matter - and you can’t get arrested for having bad taste (neither here nor there). In any case, to compare Madonna’s calculated insult (comparable to the kinds of “scandals” the Rolling Stones have been up to to generate publicity) with what happened to the Dixie Chicks here displays a certain amount of ignorance about Germany. Quite unlike in the US, where people actually destroy people’s CD in public, stuff like that isn’t done in Germany any longer, because, you know, a) it’s bad taste and b) it just looks too suspiciously like what the Nazis did.

]]> by: maha http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-35516 Thu, 28 Sep 2006 16:35:34 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-35516 Josh -- I had forgotten the Corpus Christi episode. Thanks for bringing that up. American conservative Christians have a long history of trying to get things banned that they think insults Chritianity. They went on a regular rampage over the film "Last Temptation of Christ"; it wasn't shown in large parts of the country. They are still simmering in rage because some "artist" photographed a little statue of a crucified Christ submerged in urine more than 20 years ago. Josh — I had forgotten the Corpus Christi episode. Thanks for bringing that up.

American conservative Christians have a long history of trying to get things banned that they think insults Chritianity. They went on a regular rampage over the film “Last Temptation of Christ”; it wasn’t shown in large parts of the country. They are still simmering in rage because some “artist” photographed a little statue of a crucified Christ submerged in urine more than 20 years ago.

]]> by: Josh in Berlin http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-35501 Thu, 28 Sep 2006 14:11:23 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-35501 It seems that the cancellation will be revoked and this opera will be shown after all. What a great and shrewd publicity stunt the opera house made by first announcing the cancellation. Usually hardly anybody would be interested in that opera, but now it is the talk of the town. I think I am in a very small minority in Germany who approved of the cancellation. That opera is an insult to other religions (since it shows the severed heads of Jesus and Buddha as well) and to Mozart, the composer, himself. What benefit would we get if we had this opera? It seems the only reason to defend this stupid opera is to avoid giving the impression of appeasement to the Islamofascists. That's not enough for me. I think this opera would only strengthen Islamofasicsm since it would help their propaganda. To win the war on terrorism, we need to have moderate Muslims on our side, so that they don't support the terrorists, but give us information about them. And we want the moderate Muslims to win over their autocratic governments and fundamentalist groups in the Arab world. This opera, however, alienates the moderate Muslims and helps the fundamentalists. Let's not forget that theater plays critical of Christians and Israel also get canceled. Earlier this year: "A New York theatre company has put off plans to stage a play about an American activist killed by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza because of the current "political climate" - a decision the play's British director, Alan Rickman, denounced as "censorship"." http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/theatre-gets-stagefright-over-play-on-israeli-death-of-activist/2006/02/28/1141095740986.html I am not a fan of Rachel Corrie. Not at all. However, if one criticizes the canellation of the Mozart opera for fear of offending Muslimes, then one should also criticize the canceling of that play for fear of offending supporters of Israel.. Besides: "On May 23, 1998, the New York Times announced that the Manhattan Theatre Club would be canceling its scheduled production of playwright Terrence McNally's newest play, Corpus Christi, due to bomb and death threats made against the theatre, its personnel, and the playwright. The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights disavowed responsibility for the threats but did publicly applaud the decision, calling the play "blasphemous."" http://muse.jhu.edu/cgi-bin/access.cgi?uri=/journals/theatre_journal/v051/51.2pr_mcnally.html When Corpus Christi was shown in Germany in 2000, there have been death threats and bomb threats as well: http://www.cityinfonetz.de/tagblatt/thema/thema39/ Thus it could very well be that the threats against the "Idomeneo" opera are not only coming from Muslims, but from Christians, who don't like to see the severed head of Jesus... Having said that: The concern about attacks from Muslims is bigger. Greetings from Berlin, My blog: <a href="http://atlanticreview.org" rel="nofollow">The Atlantic Review, A press digest on transatlantic affairs edited by three German Fulbright Alumni</a> It seems that the cancellation will be revoked and this opera will be shown after all. What a great and shrewd publicity stunt the opera house made by first announcing the cancellation. Usually hardly anybody would be interested in that opera, but now it is the talk of the town.

I think I am in a very small minority in Germany who approved of the cancellation. That opera is an insult to other religions (since it shows the severed heads of Jesus and Buddha as well) and to Mozart, the composer, himself.

What benefit would we get if we had this opera? It seems the only reason to defend this stupid opera is to avoid giving the impression of appeasement to the Islamofascists. That’s not enough for me. I think this opera would only strengthen Islamofasicsm since it would help their propaganda. To win the war on terrorism, we need to have moderate Muslims on our side, so that they don’t support the terrorists, but give us information about them. And we want the moderate Muslims to win over their autocratic governments and fundamentalist groups in the Arab world. This opera, however, alienates the moderate Muslims and helps the fundamentalists.

Let’s not forget that theater plays critical of Christians and Israel also get canceled. Earlier this year:
“A New York theatre company has put off plans to stage a play about an American activist killed by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza because of the current “political climate” - a decision the play’s British director, Alan Rickman, denounced as “censorship”.”
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/theatre-gets-stagefright-over-play-on-israeli-death-of-activist/2006/02/28/1141095740986.html

I am not a fan of Rachel Corrie. Not at all. However, if one criticizes the canellation of the Mozart opera for fear of offending Muslimes, then one should also criticize the canceling of that play for fear of offending supporters of Israel..

Besides:
“On May 23, 1998, the New York Times announced that the Manhattan Theatre Club would be canceling its scheduled production of playwright Terrence McNally’s newest play, Corpus Christi, due to bomb and death threats made against the theatre, its personnel, and the playwright. The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights disavowed responsibility for the threats but did publicly applaud the decision, calling the play “blasphemous.”"
http://muse.jhu.edu/cgi-bin/access.cgi?uri=/journals/theatre_journal/v051/51.2pr_mcnally.html

When Corpus Christi was shown in Germany in 2000, there have been death threats and bomb threats as well:
http://www.cityinfonetz.de/tagblatt/thema/thema39/

Thus it could very well be that the threats against the “Idomeneo” opera are not only coming from Muslims, but from Christians, who don’t like to see the severed head of Jesus… Having said that: The concern about attacks from Muslims is bigger.

Greetings from Berlin,
My blog: The Atlantic Review, A press digest on transatlantic affairs edited by three German Fulbright Alumni

]]> by: maha http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-35363 Wed, 27 Sep 2006 18:51:21 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-35363 Elayne -- That's not how opera (or Shakespeare, or anything people like to produce in new ways) works. Like it or not, the production (separate from the original score and libretto) is an original artistic expression. Taking out one scene is still censorship and possibly damaging to the production as a whole. You're probably right that the production is a lot of pretentious hoohaw, and I wouldn't bother to see it, but it's still expression. Elayne — That’s not how opera (or Shakespeare, or anything people like to produce in new ways) works. Like it or not, the production (separate from the original score and libretto) is an original artistic expression. Taking out one scene is still censorship and possibly damaging to the production as a whole. You’re probably right that the production is a lot of pretentious hoohaw, and I wouldn’t bother to see it, but it’s still expression.

]]> by: maha http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-35362 Wed, 27 Sep 2006 18:47:49 +0000 http://www.mahablog.com/2006/09/27/when-operas-attack/#comment-35362 <i>Please don’t say that Mark Chapman was part of the bible belt, you unforgivably silly person.</i> Oh, for pity's sake, of course not. The incident to which I referred happened several years earlier; about 1966. John Lennon made some offhand remark about the Beatles being bigger than Jesus, and it touched off everything short of riots. People all over the Bible Belt held anti-Beatle demonstrations that featured the burning of record albums in large and probably toxic bonfires. Jeez, what a maroon ... Please don’t say that Mark Chapman was part of the bible belt, you unforgivably silly person.

Oh, for pity’s sake, of course not. The incident to which I referred happened several years earlier; about 1966. John Lennon made some offhand remark about the Beatles being bigger than Jesus, and it touched off everything short of riots. People all over the Bible Belt held anti-Beatle demonstrations that featured the burning of record albums in large and probably toxic bonfires.

Jeez, what a maroon …

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