The Jewish news magazine Joods Actueel has taken offence at the opera Samson and Dalila, which will première on 28 April at the Flemish Opera House in Antwerp. The 1877 opera, by Camille Saint-Saëns, contains a libretto based on the Old Testament book Judges and deals with the impossible love between the Jewish Samson and the Philistine Delila. Joods Actueel fears the way in which the Palestinian-Israeli directing team duo of Amir Nizar-Zuabi and Omri Nitzan my interpret the opera. The Flemish Opera House brochure states that the story reflects the current conflict in the Middle East and that debates and film showings on this theme will also be organised. The opinion piece in the magazine disparaged the choice of films, alleging they are anti-Israeli, and claimed that director Nizar-Zuabi “openly questioned Israel’s right to exist” at a press conference. The Flemish Opera House defended itself against the premature criticism of the publication, stating that producer Nissar Zuabi had merely pleaded against a “state exclusively for Jews”. The Opera House manager, Aviel Cahn, himself Jewish, is of the opinion that the production should accept the challenge to be socially relevant and have a critical approach to the situation.
The latest protest typifies the irascibility with which Joods Actueel has recently reacted to radio and TV programs and cultural events in which Jews come up for discussion, De Morgen newspaper states.
More on just the latest example of the organised Jewish community trying to censor something, anything really, that challenges their cozy view of the Middle East:
“Flanders Opera is absolutely not an anti-Israeli organisation,” said opera spokesman Wilfried Eetezonne. “We are very disturbed by this premature criticism.” The company manager, Aviel Cahn, who is Jewish, said in a statement: “It is the duty of art in our time to look at trends and society in a critical manner. Our challenge with the production of Samson et Dalila is to cast a critical eye on an extremely complex situation in which the struggle between oppressors and oppressed provokes an explosion of violence.”
Does it bother many Jews that they are increasingly known for doing little other than complaining, whinging and trying to censor?
