Berlin opera bans Mozart for fear of provoking Islamic extremists

[ark]

BERLIN - A Mozart opera production in which the severed head of the Muslim prophet Mohammed is shown on stage was banned by one of Berlin's main opera houses yesterday because of fears that the work might provoke a terrorist attack by Islamic extremists.

The decision, by Berlin's Deutsche Opera to cancel a forthcoming presentation of the Mozart work Idomeneo provoked uproar among politicians and German theatre directors who said the opera house had allowed itself to be intimidated.

"This is mad," said Wolfgang Schaeuble, the German Interior Minister who has invited Muslim leaders to attend an Islamic conference in Berlin, "Taking such measures is ridiculous and totally unacceptable," he added.

Kirstin Harms, the Deutsche Oper's manager said the company had decided to remove Idomoneo from its programme after receiving information from Berlin police which suggested that the work could provoke what she described as an "incalculable security risk" to the public if it was shown.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=18&objectid=10403202

Yay for letting terrorism win.

 

[Infanteer]

Yay for letting terrorism win.

+1

This is like banning "Jesus Christ Superstar".  There has got to be a point where we tell mainstream Islam to butt the fuck out; perhaps we are entitled attack mosques and murder imams due to the way the West and the Jews are depicted on state TV in the Mid-East?

 

[larry Strong]

This is getting a little ridiculous

 

[wotan]

  Well, it's not like Mozart is recognized as a significant figure in the history of Western art and culture.

  When the institutions of a nation are willing to surrender and sacrifice their cultural heritage and inheritance in the face of intimidation, they have truly lost their way.  Sad.

 

[George Wallace]

OK!  STOP!
Before we start going too much further on this topic, you must find all the facts.  This NZ Herald article left out the real reasons why this Opera was being cancelled.  There are Scenes in this 'interpretation' that show the severed heads of Mohamed, Jesus, Buddha, and other Religious Prophets/Dieties.  On a whole, the whole show was in bad taste towards more than one Religion.

BBC News has this to say:

Beheaded prophet opera dropped
A Berlin opera company cancelled a Mozart production over security fears because it features the severed heads of the Prophet Muhammad and Jesus.
Deutsche Oper said "incalculable" security risks would be posed by staging Idomeneo.

"We know the consequences of the conflict over the (Muhammad) caricatures," the opera company said in a statement.

"We believe that needs to be taken very seriously and hope for your support."

The opera was staged in Berlin in 2003, drawing criticism over a scene where the king presents the heads of Greek sea god Poseidon, Muhammad, Jesus and Buddha.


Full article on their site.


[Edit:  Opps "Prophets"]

 

[Journeyman]

...criticism over a scene where the king presents the heads of Greek sea god Poseidon, Muhammad, Jesus and Buddha.

Beheading POSEIDON?!! Now that's going too far!

BUBBLES UP! 

(Man, divers definitely have to get a less lame cry) 

 

[George Wallace]

This is not the first time that this Opera Company has been in the limelight over a Mozart Opera.  Back in 2004 BBC News reported these headlines:


Racy Mozart whips up Berlin storm
A Mozart opera modernised to include rape, torture, nudity and prostitutes has caused a scandal in Germany.
The premiere of Abduction from the Seraglio (Entfuehrung aus dem Serail) at the Komische Oper in Berlin has met outrage from audiences and critics.

The opera's Catalan director, Calixto Bieito, has in the past provoked shock with productions in England and Wales.

He claimed moving the Berlin opera's action to a modern-day brothel would highlight abuses in the sex trade.

 

[sigpig]

OK!  STOP!There are Scenes in this 'interpretation' that show the severed heads of Mohamed, Jesus, Buddha, and other Religious Profits/Dieties.  On a whole, the whole show was in bad taste towards more than one Religion.

So? Is there a chance of christians, buddists, and atlantians rioting in the streets and threatening to kill people? Not likely. Muslims seem to have cornered the market on such antics lately.

 

[1feral1]

Either way about other regilious leaders being beheaded, we all can take it, although some might be offended by it, its only going to be the muslims who will start ranting and raving, and killing people over it.

This is PC gone wild as far as I am concerned.

Lack of tollerance on the muslims behalf only widens the gap between them and us. Its getting to be for me anyway, that I don't really care any more. They've cooked their goose.


Cheers,

Wes

 

[George Wallace]

This is PC gone wild as far as I am concerned.

Actually Wes, I wouldn't call it PC.  I would say that some of the Artistic Directors of that Opera House have a serious case of "Bad Taste", even too raunchy for Berliners.

 

[1feral1]

I see your point George, and understand where you are coming from. Bad taste or not, its the muslims who will fly off the handle using violence and murder to make their point.

Other religions may condem it in an article in a paper, or a statement on TV, not with bombs aimed at the innocent populations, or Kalashnikovs waving about, burning German flags and going insane for the world to watch in disgust.

At the end of the day, if people don't want to watch, don't buy a ticket and don't go. I don't have a problem with it at all, and I am an RC to boot, ha!

Cheers,

Wes

 

[2 Cdo]

I see your point George, and understand where you are coming from. Bad taste or not, its the muslims who will fly off the handle using violence and murder to make their point.

Other religions may condem it in an article in a paper, or a statement on TV, not with bombs aimed at the innocent populations, or Kalashnikovs waving about, burning German flags and going insane for the world to watch in disgust.

At the end of the day, if people don't want to watch, don't buy a ticket and don't go. I don't have a problem with it at all, and I am an RC to boot, ha!

Cheers,

Wes

Well said Wes!

 

[George Wallace]

I see your point George, and understand where you are coming from. Bad taste or not, its the muslims who will fly off the handle using violence and murder to make their point.

Other religions may condem it in an article in a paper, or a statement on TV, not with bombs aimed at the innocent populations, or Kalashnikovs waving about, burning German flags and going insane for the world to watch in disgust.

Oh! I agree with you 100% on that.  That is probably the concerns that brought about this decision.

 

[larry Strong]

That does put it in a different light.

 

[time expired]

Wes.
Could not agree more. If bad taste was the only criteria there would not be much on TV to watch
                                    Regards

 

[probum non poenitet]

All I know is if the terrorists cause a ban of Miss Saigon, I'm switching sides. That's the biggest crap-fest I've ever had to sit through.  ;D

 

[Infanteer]

Actually, I've heard "Cats" was an Al-Qaeda op....

 

[couchcommander]

All I know is if the terrorists cause a ban of Miss Saigon, I'm switching sides. That's the biggest crap-fest I've ever had to sit through.   ;D

Oh dear god yes. Not to mention the hundreds of dollars wasted on tickets.

Even the woman said it "wasn't that great".

 

[Yrys]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/12/08/showbuzz/index.html#0

Opera company loses its heads

BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- Muhammad's severed head already caused
enough consternation at Berlin's Deutsche Oper.

...

The four dummy heads feature in the final scene of a jazzed-up
version of Mozart's "Idomeneo," which the opera dropped from
its November schedule over security concerns.

After a hail of criticism and an all-clear from police, the opera house
rescheduled performances of the show for December 18 and December
29. However, spokesman Alexander Busche on Friday confirmed a report
in the Berliner Morgenpost newspaper that the heads were missing.

...

Busche declined to comment on security arrangements for the December
performances.

However, he admitted that the saga was testing the nerves of staff at the
opera house, one of three in Berlin.

Asked if media reports of the lost heads played to the maxim that any publicity
is good publicity, Busche said: "No. I can honestly say, I will be so happy
when this 'Idomeneo' is over.

"We would really like to get back to just promoting and staging normal opera," he said.

 

[GAP]

More and more the "west" is conforming to Islamic fantasy of PC