Russia in Conflict Over Opera
Wednesday evening of this week, the Bolshoi theater in Russia will premier a new opera. "Rosenthal's Children," written by Vladimir Sorokin, is the first new opera to run in the Bolshoi in 30 years.
Many Russian critics are claiming that the material is highly controversial and it should therefore be banned from the great theater. Some think that these are preconceived notions, however, which are merely based on Sorokin's previous writings. His novel, "Blue Lard," was published in 1999 and contained a sex scene between clones of Josef Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev.
"Rosenthal's Children" is about a scientist who creates clones of Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Verdi and Mozart who spend time with prostitutes. Anatoly Iksanov, the head of the Bolshoi theater supports the opera. He said that the government is trying to censor the opera even though it hasn't premiered yet.
Russia has had a long history of censorship in the arts. Apparently it still exists today.
Many Russian critics are claiming that the material is highly controversial and it should therefore be banned from the great theater. Some think that these are preconceived notions, however, which are merely based on Sorokin's previous writings. His novel, "Blue Lard," was published in 1999 and contained a sex scene between clones of Josef Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev.
"Rosenthal's Children" is about a scientist who creates clones of Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Verdi and Mozart who spend time with prostitutes. Anatoly Iksanov, the head of the Bolshoi theater supports the opera. He said that the government is trying to censor the opera even though it hasn't premiered yet.
Russia has had a long history of censorship in the arts. Apparently it still exists today.
posted by Jen @ 5:33 PM
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