What do you think of the German Opera's cancellation of its production? Was it the right thing to do?Four canceled performances of a Mozart opera have reignited an anxious and heated debate in Europe over free speech, self-censorship and Islam.
By canning its production of "Idomeneo", fearful of security threats because of a scene that might offend Muslims, Berlin's Deutsche Oper provoked front-page headlines across the continent and found itself fending off charges of cowardice.
The controversy centered on a scene in which King Idomeneo is shown on stage with the severed heads of Buddha, Jesus, Mohammad and the sea god Poseidon.
"Here we go again. It's like deja vu...This is exactly the kind of self-censorship I and my newspaper have been warning against," said Flemming Rose, culture editor of Denmark's Jyllands-Posten paper, which met a storm of Muslim protest after publishing satirical cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad last year.
He said bowing to fears of a violent Muslim reaction would only worsen the problem: "You play into the hands of the radicals. You are telling them: your tactics are working. This is a victory for the radicals. It's weakening the moderate Muslims who are our allies in this battle of ideas."
DaveC426913 said:Flemming Rose needs to understand that someone, somewhere is responsible for, not simply the principles involved, but the safety of all those involved.
It's one thing to say "let's stand up for our rights", it's another to try to explain that to the husband and children of someone killed in an altercation.
edward said:Everything seems to offend the Muslims.
chroot said:Please be careful with your generalizations. The fundamentalists who comprise the terrorist networks and burn embassies are far from common in the muslim world.
- Warren
No. I am saying that blanket principles do not supercede individual decisions.Bystander said:Are you saying the world should adopt an Islamic set of "blue laws?" If not, just where is the "line" to be drawn?
DaveC426913 said:No. I am saying that blanket principles do not supercede individual decisions.
There are real people involved here - event directors and participants. That event director must make a decision that she is responsible for, about whether to proceed with an event. It is she who will be apologizing to the survivors if anything happens.
The line that is drawn, is drawn by a person, not by the rest of us, who are not putting our necks on that line.
Were we to follow through with your logic, that event director should, by rights, be able to hand you a plane ticket to fly over there, look the participants and their families in the eye(s), and say "I will be responsible if you are injured or killed". Would you?
The German opera production was canceled due to fear of offending the Muslim community and sparking potential violence.
The cancelation of the opera may be seen as a violation of freedom of expression, but the organizers made the decision in order to prevent potential harm and maintain a peaceful environment.
No, this is not the first time an opera has been canceled due to fear of offending Islam. In the past, similar incidents have occurred in other countries as well.
The cancelation of the opera raises concerns about the limitations of freedom of speech in the face of potential backlash and violence. It also highlights the need for a balance between freedom of expression and respect for religious beliefs.
To prevent similar incidents in the future, it is important for societies to promote open dialogue and understanding between different cultures and religions. Organizers of events should also consider the potential impact on different communities and take necessary precautions to avoid offense.