See Klinghoffer opera, then decide

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To the Editor:

I was deeply angered by the Metropolitan Opera for calling for New York City Police Officers to arrest a patron on the opening night of the opera “The Death of Klinghoffer” on Monday, Oct. 20.  There were two minor disruptions. A man shouted,  “The murder of Klinghoffer will never be forgiven” several times before being escorted out.

This individual never shouted while the singers were performing. He was arrested for disorderly conduct. During the second half, just after the character of Leon Klinghoffer was murdered, a woman cried out a vulgarity and left, accompanied by ushers.

She was not arrested. 

Neither of these incidents was a major disruption, although the woman who shouted while they were singing showed disrespect for the performers. 

Many prominent New Yorkers were outside in front of the Lincoln Center. Rabbi Avi Weiss led a prayer vigil. Teenagers from Jewish faith-based schools joined Rabbi Weiss in shifts of about a dozen throughout the evening to discuss scriptures and to shout  “Shame on you” to patrons going  to see the opera. I spoke to several of the students and adults who were protesting. I asked if they had read the opera libretto. Everyone I asked said they had not. I told them they should either read it or see the play before making their decision.

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Republican, joined protesters outside the opera house on Monday evening, charging that the work offered “a distorted view of history.” 

Meanwhile, the current mayor, Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, earlier in the day defended the Met’s right to perform it. He said Mr. Guiliani “had a history of challenging cultural institutions when he disagreed with their content.”

Letter to the editor, The Death of Klinghoffer, Howard S. Cohn
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