Where Do We Draw The Line?

Pretty Yende is not the only headline in the world of opera at the moment. As some of you may have seen when we went to the Met on Thursday, “The Death of Klinghoffer” will be premiering this Monday, October 20th. “The Death of Klinghoffer” is based on a true story when a group of Palestinians hijacked a cruise ship in 1985 and murdered a disabled, Jewish-American passenger named Leon Klinghoffer. This information is from the NYT article, “An Opera Under Fire“, by Zachary Woolfe.

When the opera originally premiered in 1991, it faced strong opposition and controversy from critics who thought it gloried terrorism and had anti-semitic undertones. Similar opposition exists today as protesters have already gathered at the Met to call for the play to be suspended. In addition, some of the Met’s major Jewish donors put pressure on the Met’s GM to suspend production of the opera.

Tom Morris, director of “The Death of Klinghoffer”, defends his production by claiming it does not glorify terrorism but simply dramatizes it. He also mentions how he is not trying to convince people to become terrorists, just like how the director of “Othello” does not intend his male audience members to kill their wives. The video of Morris’ defense is posted below if you wish to watch the short clip.

When it comes to opera, or art in general, where do we draw the line? Early in the semester when we had the class discussion about what art is, we came up with dozens of definitions. We said art was a lie, art is what you make of it, art is complicated, but is art controversial? Based solely on my own opinion, I believe it is alright if art is controversial since controversy makes people feel certain emotions or think certain thoughts that would otherwise not be provoked from other art works. If art does not get you to think or to feel, then what is it doing? Art works are supposed to leave impressions and create images. While the “Death of Klinghoffer” may not be the most socially acceptable opera in recent history, it does tell a story worth being told and has significant artistic value.

9 Responses to "Where Do We Draw The Line?"

Bethany Freynk says:

October 19, 2014 at 8:43 pm

It is difficult to figure out where to draw the line without initially viewing the opera. In my opinion, an artist has the freedom to express themselves in any way as long as no group is impacted negatively. In addition, this performance is based on a true story, giving the director the right to stage a dramatization of the historic events. Yet, it is hard to judge this controversial opera without first experiencing its chronology as an audience member. I am sure donors have a reason for pressuring the opera-house, but the question is how offensive can a performance at the Met be? Lincoln Center would never produce a poor performance. I hope the chronology of the show does not offend observers as I am an American Jew myself. I agree that this story holds great value for both an artist and a curious individual; however, I cannot judge the ethics of the director until a full audience exits the auditorium, full of contrasting emotions. I am interested to see the reviews of “The Death of Klinghoffer” after its premiere.
ehughes1 says:

October 19, 2014 at 9:32 pm

“Where do we draw the line?” That’s a great question to ask when staging and producing an opera such as “The Death of Klinghoffer.” Director Tom Morris’ purpose is certainly not to offend people or glorify terrorism, but to shed light on a story that deserves to be heard. Morris is confident about the work’s beauty and emotional force, being that this is based on true life events. Morris does admit that “there are times when a whole society might be too traumatized by events to be ready for a story that’s about those events.” But he clearly implies that this is not one of those times. I think that all works of art have controversial elements because no two viewers will have the same combination of emotions as a result. That’s why a piece of work’s artistic quality differs from person to person; it goes like the saying “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Like Beth, I am interested to see the public’s response to the opera after its premiere this Monday.
Isabel Vulakh says:

October 20, 2014 at 10:17 am

Just today I watched a news segment showing people protesting against the premiere of “The Death of Klinghoffer” in front of the Met. I agree with your opinion about how art should evoke certain emotions and feelings – whether it be feelings of like or dislike. Some might be against the production of this opera, but in the end, what if we limited all arts just because some people might find it offensive? Where would we be today? By putting limits on art, we restrain people’s creative abilities and prevent future development and cultivation of all sorts of art forms. If this opera wasn’t good, it wouldn’t be premiering in the opera in the first place. I’m sure the director has no intentions to glorify terrorism or anti-Semitism; one can only judge after seeing the opera.
christosbakalexis says:

October 20, 2014 at 12:54 pm

When reading this article, it reminds me that the way people react to certain situations remain the same for decades and centuries. Like many pieces of art, this opera evokes certain emotions and opinions from people. Some people share opinions of disapproval and others see the importance of performing such a piece. On the first day of class we were asked… what is art? This is art happening before our eyes.
j96lee says:

October 20, 2014 at 12:55 pm

I found your article very insightful. I think that art is about the freedom of expression and interpretation. Therefore, no matter how controversial, I believe that art should not be restricted, unless it is offensive. If someone finds a production too controversial or offensive for his or her tastes, then why are they watching it? Each person is different in his/her opinions and deciding whether something is controversial is based off of opinions.
stephenesses says:

October 22, 2014 at 2:18 pm

I agree that a big part of art is trying to bring out feeling and emotions. But the is a line that needs to be drawn where not everything is acceptable. The line is blurred and may be difficult to pinpoint for many artists. Another part of the line though, is that an artist needs to recognize their audience and tailor the show for that audience. Certain areas of life will bother different types of people. Terrorism is an area that directly bothers many Jews because they are a significant target of many terrorists. Israel which is primarily a Jewish state, is a major target for many terrorist activities, and anti-semitism is a constant fear of many Jews, so they have a right to protest if they feel something crosses the line. Knowing what that line is will be a constant debate for artists too figure out though.
Ann Privorotskiy says:

October 22, 2014 at 7:53 pm

I agree with what everyone is saying in terms of the fact that it is hard to make any judgment without viewing the opera. I also agree that Lincoln Center has very good judgment and only has the best intentions of the public in mind. With that said however, I’ve heard many concerns regarding the subliminal negative tones present throughout the show, which leaves me a little skeptical and cynical. I feel as though the Klinghoffer family is devastated by the presentation of this opera and it’s insensitive to them, at the same time I also feel that the whole idea of art is to have as little boundary as possible. On that note, if Lincoln Center decided to put on a performance about 9/11, I think there would be a lot more protest going on because a larger target group would be offended. It’s a very controversial topic and I feel like I can’t make a concrete opinionated statement without seeing the show itself.
krystalau says:

October 23, 2014 at 8:11 pm

We are always asking ourselves where do we draw the line in lots of situations, but there is never a real answer. I feel like we can never “draw the line” because there are so many factors that comes into play depending on the context. But, I believe art should never be limited. Art is how people express themselves freely and if we restricted artists, then that isn’t art. I think Tom Morris made a good argument how he is not supporting of glorifying terrorism, but rather dramatizing it. Just because a topic is controversial, it does not mean it should not be allowed for open discuss. Controversial topics should not be kept quiet or tabooed, it needs to be expressed in things like art because it provokes people and forces them to think. Controversial does not always equate to negative. It can cause emotions and ideas, which is something also art does.
Sydney Marino says:

October 26, 2014 at 10:31 pm

Controversy gets people thinking. It’s though provoking. If it’s controversial everyone knows about it in town. That is one thing art should be. Everyone has their own opinion, but when you have everyone debating about it, then you really hit it big time. I would of never knew about this Opera if it wasn’t such a big deal. That is free advertising right then and there. Some people say all publicity is good publicity, and this could be one of those cases. As for the Opera it’s self, I really don’t have much of an opinion about it. If anything, I would want to go see it before formulating an opinion. Though, from what I read in the article, it seems to be recalling history. Is that so bad, recalling the past? We learn about it in class, so why is it so bad now? I will probably read more into this to figure it out for myself.

Comments are closed.