Answering John Heilpern’s Prayer

“Please God, let the season be different from all other seasons. Please don’t let it be dominated by any more revivals, British actors and Eve Ensler. Please get them to bring the price of tickets down and make all welcome at the theater. Please God, let one new, thrilling voice of an unknown playwright be heard throughout the land. Thanks a lot. That’s all for now.” Now one of these prayers has been answered…

Taking The Safe Road, Or Kneeling Before Terrorists?

Deutsche Oper’s decision to cancel a revival of a 2003 production of Mozart’s Idomeneo for fear that a scene depicting Mohammed would inflame Muslims is proving to be front page news in Germany. “Everywhere the charge Kniefall vor Terroristen – kneeling before terrorists – has cropped up,” and Deutsche Oper director Kirstin Harms has come in for some vicious criticism.

No, It’s Not Adam Sandler In A Dress

Classical music organizations have been looking for ways to broaden their audience for years, but opera companies have frequently been the most reluctant to introduce anything that might offend their notoriously tradition-bound audiences. So this definitely qualifies as news: Pittsburgh Opera has unveiled the Opera Lady, an expert in the form who makes herself available to audiences both at performances and over the internet, answering questions, explaining operatic oddities, and generally trying to make the whole experience more fun.