CREATORS’ GOAL TO HUMANIZE THE TERRORISTS
No one can deny that the “Death” opera humanizes terrorism. Indeed, that was the goal, according to the composer, John Adams. For Adams and for the librettist, Alice Goodman (a former Reform Jew now an Anglican cleric and never an historian), it is not enough to know that the Palestinian Arabs did this terrible thing. No, for them, it is essential to understand why the Arabs acted as they did, for that is how one “discovers” the humanity in the situation.
Here is the composer, speaking about the reaction to “Death.”
Our opera tries to look at the terrorists and at the passengers and see humanity in both of them, and for some people that’s an egregious mistake. I don’t feel it is.
That for all the brutality and the moral wrong that they perpetrated in killing this man, they’re still human beings and there still has to be reasons why the did this act.
This opera, therefore, adopts exactly the same approach as that adopted by the most pathological haters of the western world after 9/11: we need to understand why these Muslims flew airplanes into buildings and slaughtered 3000 innocents: surely, there is a reason, and if we understand that reason, and we address it (for it must be, really, our fault), then we can make sure such a tragedy does not happen again.
Back to Adams’ reaction to “Death”:
I think what Alice Goodman and I tried to do is to create a work of art that makes people feel and music is ultimately about feeling and that may be why, when people go to the opera house, and they experience this opera, they have strong feelings.
The music is effective and if it’s a good performance, or even a great performance, then you are going to feel all the more strongly. And I think if we’ve succeeded with that, then it’s a good thing.
No, sometimes strong feelings are elicited because one’s relationship to reality and truth have been violated. And because such violations set the stage for further terrorism and trauma.
The Metropolitan Opera is not the first to present the “Death” opera. It premiered in Brussels on March 19, 1991, at the Théâtre de Monnaie, and later, shockingly, was performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Of course it received rave reviews in San Francisco, but that was the end of its American run until recently.
It was not unwelcome simply because it is offensive. It was shunned for its heavy-handed political correctness and its leaden prose. Panned by major critics, including the Wall Street Journal and even the New York Times, and later cancelled in the wake of various acts of Islamic terrorism. But all that hasn’t dissuaded the Metropolitan Opera and others from shoving this political provocation up the noses of mere Jews.
KLINGHOFFER FAMILY OWNS THE RIGHTS TO DECIDING IF MISCASTING THEIR FATHER’S MURDER IS BENIGN
In response to those who claim that the “Death” opera is not an insult to the Klinghoffers and is not anti-Semitic (including some Jewish professionals), one’s jaw drops.
After seeing a performance of the opera, Lisa and Isla Klinghoffer wrote they were “outraged at the exploitation of our parents and the cold-blooded murder of our father.” It is true that many people dislike the portrayal of themselves or their loved ones in commercial vehicles, but if one claims that it is not hurtful, surely the Klinghoffer daughter’s verdict is final. They wrote that it “perverts the terrorist murder of our father and attempts to romanticize, rationalize, legitimize and explain it.”
If you care about truth and honesty then you should stand with those who protest this travesty. For New Yorkers, the first rally against this vindication of terrorism is on Monday, Sept. 22, starting at 4:30 p.m., in front of Lincoln Center. For everyone else, let Peter Gelb, the manager of the Metropolitan Opera, know what you think. [email protected]