Last week I took part in a wonderful conference on Jews and the Opera, hosted by the Flemish Opera and the University of Antwerp. We discussed, among much else, the mutual inspiration of synagogue songs and some of Europe’s greatest musical compositions. It was a gentle and civilized debate, except for two dissonant notes: the ghost of Shylock and the armed police squad parked outside.
Shylock, like other ugly Jews (often blessed with beautiful daughters) that inhabited European literature and art in the last four centuries, has recently become a problem for theater and opera directors. Is it still legitimate to …read more
Source: European Voice
