Berlin – Mozart has survived grandiose conductors and abstract interpretations, but the librettos for his operas never cast Islamic radicals threatening a skittish theater company.
On a day of messy drama and furious debate over free speech, German Opera in Berlin reaffirmed its decision Tuesday not to revive a production of Mozart’s “Idomeneo” for fear of inciting Islamic extremists over a scene showing the severed head of the prophet Muhammad.
The cancellation of a work that has run intermittently since 2003 drew rebuke from politicians and theater critics, who regarded it as a defeat for creative expression and a victory for militant Islamists over liberal European tradition.
The company’s decision came as Muslim tensions on the continent have risen since the publication last year of Danish cartoons lampooning Muhammad and recent comments by Pope Benedict XVI about Islam and violence.
In a news conference, German Opera manager Kirsten Harms said she canceled the show after security officials informed her there would be “incalculable risks” if the production reopened in November.
“Idomeneo” is the ancient story of the king of Crete’s pact with the Greek god Poseidon to sacrifice his son. The production by Hans Neuenfels, known for his controversial interpretations, is a mediation on enlightenment that shows the king lifting the severed heads of Poseidon, Jesus, Buddha and Muhammad to suggest that over-reliance on religion can endanger the human spirit.
