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Police, media and VIPS out in force at Berlin opera, but no protests (Roundup)
Dec 18, 2006, 20:59 GMT
Berlin - Riot police, the media and celebrities turned out in force in Berlin Monday evening for a controversial production of the opera Idomeneo, but there was no evidence of any protesters upset by its anti-religion message.
The Deutsche Oper theatre in Berlin was staging a version of the Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart opera where the hero mocks the severed heads of the Prophet Mohammed, Jesus Christ, Buddha and Poseidon.
Riot police took up positions on every side of the theatre. The formally-attired audience had to pass singly through metal-detector gates to show that they were not carrying knives or guns.
Opera-loving German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble was the ranking member of the audience.
He had earlier invited prominent German residents of Muslim heritage to attend to show their commitment to free speech. The opera had been called off in September for fear that theatre staff might be harmed by outraged fundamentalist Muslims.
Schaeuble posed for photos with the head of the opera, Kirsten Harms, but declined to answer questions.
The mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, also attended.
An opera house spokesman said the performance was being performed exactly as prescribed by director Hans Neuenfels in 2003, including the controversial closing scene, which was devised by Neuenfels and is not part of the Mozart script.
© 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
any bets on how long before someone connected with the show gets assisinated in the name of allah? Extremist muslims seem to have a long memory when it comes to holy revenge so it might be years or less. They're also known for targeting family, and bystanders so maybe it will be one of them? They aren't stupid so they will probably wait for security to be less attentive. security is expensive, they can't maintain that state of alert indefinitely for financial reason.
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perhaps the german islamic moderate leaders would be willing to subsidize security costs in the interest of showing they don't support extremists and assinations. It would seem fair and would go a long way to showing their sincerity and respect for german values of free speach. After all the german non muslims subsidize security with taxes to protect muslims as a group from retributions by those they anger and provoke. I wonder what the average extra financial burden to society is for each muslim in germany vs. other ethnicities due to their tacit support and harboring of extremist? perhaps a tax on muslim extremist religious establishments would offset the unequal burden on other ethnicities and make muslims more appreciated as a valued part of german society.
Designmemetic,
You ask: 'Any bets on how long before someone connected with the show gets assisinated in the name of Allah?'
I won't bet on a time frame but I place my bets on the following order of executions:
1. director Hans Neuenfels
2. opera manager Kirsten Harms
3. Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble (this one is currently under tight security protection, so the blowback against him will probably take place when he's no longer in office)
page: 1
Jihad in Germany?Dec 19th, 2006 - 11:35:46
Undoubtedly, certain German individuals are asking for trouble — deep trouble.
Mocking the severed head of the Prophet Mohammed (by director Hans Neuenfels) and promoting this blasphemic scene (by Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble and opera manager Kirsten Harms) means that punishment of these perpetrators is inevitable.
As a Christian, I'm highly offended by the scandalous depiction of Jesus, therefore I can fully understand the feelings of disgust and anger of the Ummah. If heads were to roll as a consequence of the blasphemy against its Prophet Mohammed, I wouldn't be surprised.
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