| As all the world now knows, Berlin's Deutsche | | | | As the mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, said, |
| Oper closed a production of Mozart's perennially | | | | "with all understanding for the concern about the |
| harmless opera Idomeneo, because of "incalculable | | | | security of spectators and performers, I consider |
| risk" due to a threat from a Muslim group or | | | | the decision of the director to be wrong. Our |
| individual over the director's decision to include a | | | | ideas about openness, tolerance and freedom |
| scene in which the heads of Mohammed, Jesus, | | | | must be lived on the offensive. Voluntary |
| and Budda are presented without their | | | | self-limitation gives those who fight against our |
| accompanying bodies. | | | | values a confirmation in advance that we will not |
| The heady scene is reportedly an effort on the | | | | stand behind them." |
| part of the director to mix opera with his own | | | | There was a redemptive bright spot on the |
| anti-religious sentiments. | | | | Islamic horizon. Kenan Kilat, who is the leader of |
| While Mozart was not above being a bit of a | | | | Germany's Turkish Community, told the online |
| rabble rouser - note the antagonism he bestirred | | | | newspaper Netzeitung that, while he could |
| among the nobility due to the amorous ways and | | | | understand how the three-headed scene could |
| eventual comeuppance of the broadly ignoble Don | | | | offend Muslims, an opera is not a political forum. |
| Giovanni - we give him the belated accolade of | | | | He went on to say the nearly miraculous, "I would |
| Clever Monkey of the Week for not finding if | | | | recommend Muslims learn to accept certain things. |
| necessary to present disembodied prophets in the | | | | Art must remain free." |
| original production. | | | | We commend his wisdom and courage. |
| The oper avowed that it shut down the | | | | But evidently we still have an enormous cultural |
| production "with great regret," but government | | | | chasm to deal with. Imagine how far we are from |
| officials other than the security forces were not | | | | the headline "Famous Muslim Opera Closed Due |
| pleased. | | | | To Courtesy Toward Christians. |