Things Sound Stranger when they are in German

I'm not sure which I find more troubling, Hans Neuenfels' choice to write an epilogue to Mozart's Idomeneo or Kirsten Harms' decision to cancel the performance in response to pressure from Interior Minister Erhart Koerting. They both rank very highly on the WTF? scale.

First Neuenfels: The production of a classic work is in itself a very creative endeavor requiring interpretation and vision . Nothing shows a lack of both more than altering a work to make a statement. If you cannot get your point across by the choices you make with the work in front of you then

1. you're not very good at what you do or
2. it's such an incredible stretch that your point is not actually part of the work in the first place which means you are not very good at what you do.

It has been a while since I have seen Idomeneo so I don't recall it too clearly and will have to take the press' word that the libretto deals with issues of the demands of accepted religious doctrine. Hmmm...is there any possible way that I can stage this to get across the message that I have issues with the demands of accepted religious doctrine. Wow...you know...nothing comes to mind.

To finish the opera with an added scene depicting the severed heads of religious figures, is at best amateurish and heavy handed, and played for the cheap shock value it creates; and at worst just plain poor artistry and in bad taste. So Neuenfels, you're a hack that reminds me of the reasons I stopped training to be an opera singer, and you're unworthy to hold the baton in the presence of the sublime genius of Mozart.

Next Harms. An appropriate name. She decided after several performances to pull this piece of excrement for fear that it might offend Muslims. Are you suggesting the Buddhists and Christians are nonplussed by someone holding the still bloody severed head of the founder of their sect in front of them? Are you making the ridiculous assertion that only Muslims would resort to violence? Or are you a spineless bureaucrat who caves at the slightest pressure from specific interests? Shame on you and cheers to the Muslim leaders who observe rightly that it is offensive but they'll somehow manage to control their violent natures.

I have no problem with art that shocks or makes profound and disturbing political statements. It does though have to be art to avoid my unremitting scorn. This epilogue is about as artful as "The Hours" "gee I wonder if they are trying to draw a connection between these three women? hmmm." Heavy handed is never artful.

Sadly in a situation like this are no winners only a Staatsoper's worth of Losers.