Archaeologists worry that a war in Iraq will stop digs across the Middle East. “Researchers with long experience in Iraq say they are worried that postwar looting could cause even more damage to the antiquities than combat. They also fear that some art dealers and collectors might try to take advantage of any postwar disarray and change in government to gain access to more of Iraq’s archaeological treasures.”
Tag: 02.25.03
Iraq War = Certain Destruction Of Artifacts Of Human History
Iraq is rich in important historical sites and artifacts. “The country is one of the prime centers of Islamic art and culture. It is home to some of the earliest surviving examples of Islamic architecture — the Great Mosque at Samarra and the desert palace of Ukhaidar — and it is also a magnet for religious pilgrimage. The tombs of Imam Ali and his son Husein, founders of the Shiite branch of Islam, at Najaf and Karbala, are two of the most revered in the Muslim world.” A war will surely damage some of it.
Music From A Political Time – Does It Work?
Do symphonic music and politics mix? “To a great degree, the medium defeats itself. The sheer time, effort and expense required to compose, rehearse and perform a full-scale symphonic work militates against writing one as an immediate response to a specific political situation. Works assembled quickly to make a point tend to show it, and in the concert world ephemera — even well-meaning ephemera — slips into the mist moments after its premiere, taking its message with it.”
English National Opera Cancels Performances Because Of Strike
London’s English National Opera has had to start canceling performances after the company’s chorus voted to strike. Chrous members are protesting a plan to lay off a third of their number. “The savings they will make by making 20 choristers redundant for the current season will be as little as £120,000, because they will have to hire freelancers to make up the numbers. We do not believe that £120,000 is a make or break sum for an organisation that has an annual turnover of more than £30m.”