A short post tonight. I found this a quite remarkable story. I quote:
A planned production of Bizet’s Carmen at the State Opera of West Australia has been pulled by the management because it conflicts with a two-year $400,000 partnership with
the State Government health promotion agency, Healthway. Carmen is set around a cigarette factory.
Carolyn Chard, West Australian Opera general manager said the decision was “not difficult”.
She added: ‘“We care about the health and wellbeing of our staff, stage performers and all the opera lovers throughout WA, which means promoting health messages and not portraying any activities that could be seen to promote unhealthy behaviour.”
Well, dear me. Assuming the reporting is correct, where do we go from here? The word bowdlerise named after Thomas Bowdler was coined to describe this attitude. To stay within recent themes, it’s really very public service speak. Ms Chard must fit in well in that modern Government environment where cant substitutes for thought.
Postscript
This is some of the other media coverage on this matter:
- 8 October Yahoo!7 News Carmen loses out to smokes deal
- 8 October 720 ABC Perth WA Opera butts out Carmen over smoking themes after securing Healthway sponsorship
- 9 October Sydney Morning Herald Chainsmoking Carmen culled by Western Australian Opera to protect sponsorship deal
- 9 October PM ABC WA Opera says sponsor didn't censor 'Carmen'
- 9 October 720 ABC Perth Colin Barnett embarrassed over scrapping of WA Opera's Carmen production due to Healthway sponsorship
The story has gone global. As one example, this is from Bloomberg - Australian opera company bans 'Carmen' for smoking
10 comments:
Well done, Australia! Another world first in public health zealotry! Makes me feel very proud. Another good project would be to ban all Humphrey Bogart films.
DG
And the decision was "not difficult"!
I worry now about most of classics. There have been so many unhealthy ideas in opera, literature and art in general! I really hope, Jim, that the information is not correct.
Only self-improving and art on worthy subjects shall be approved.
Some subjects that should not be treated by this criterion:
War (sorry Mr Tolstoy)
Regicide (Hamlet is out)
Inebriation
Domestic Violence
It is hard to find the words to describe this kind of idiocy.
Later I will put up some more links on this one. As DG says, it is an example of public health zealotry that has left the Opera wrapped in smoke!
So now its art according to what Ms Chard sees as appropriate? Let's hope she doesn't get to wield the censor's scissors on a national scale. The "I know what's best for you" mentality seems to be thriving in the arts as we lurch further to the right in this country. Just ask Paul Yore or Bill Henson.
"...lurch further to the right". Hardly. The public health hierarchy is a creature of the left. The government knows what's best for you.
DG
Government knowing what's best for you seems to me to be a creature of left and right, DG.
I look forward to meeting members of the conservative faction within the public health cabal.
DG
Point taken, DG, although I think my comment is generally still collect. The "I know best" syndrome is deeply entrenched.
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