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Opera cancelled over Muslim backlash fears at Mohammed decaptitation scene
Last updated at 23:37pm on 26.09.06
The Berlin Opera House
An opera company in Berlin has cancelled a Mozart production of his work Idomeneo fearing a scene in which the prophet Mohammed's decapitated head is rolled on stage could trigger an Islamic backlash.
The decision by the Deutsche Oper, one of the world's most celebrated opera houses, shows how deep-rooted the fears now are in Europe's artistic community about offending Muslim sensibilities.
"It was an incalcuable security risk for the production to be staged at this time," warned city security experts and police and so the show has been pulled from forthcoming productions.
It comes in the wake of the global storm caused by comments made by Pope Benedict over a medieval text he quoted about Islam being a religion spread by violence.
Germany is home to three million Turkish moslems and around 500,000 of other nationalities.
It was the hub for the 9/11 planners who attended a university in Hamburg by day and plotted the atrocities in a small flat in the port city by night.
Mohammed is not the only figure to be decapitated in the opera – the heads of Jesus, the Greek God Poseidon and Buddha are also rolled on to the stage.
But it is the symbol which city officials fear could trigger rioting and bloodshed.
Police said they could not gurantee the safety of the Deutsche Oper building if it went ahead.
Enthusiasts of the arts said they felt fear of Islam was now restricting the freedoms taken fo granted in the west.
Reader views (7)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
Time to tell radical islam to grow up. Where is the outrage at the real beheadings, cheered on by fat mullah's that can recite the entire koran but can't play well with others.
- Sammy, USA
The Taliban is doing a good job in ruining the reputation of the Muslim community. If I were a Muslim leader with the intent of doing good. I would be stepping up to the plate in showing the world that not all Muslims are bad. Unfortunetly the terrorizing fear has strucken the world so bad that a Berlin Opera House is unable to show a Mozart Opera.
- Andrew Johnson, tennessee ,United States
Is Germany run by a bunch of left wing women now? Where are the men in this once great nation?
- James Norman, Richmond Va
Remove the Crusades from history books, otherwise universities around the world will be bombed. You know, the West is lost, and we can kiss reason goodby as we let our fears rule us and not stop the Islamist bullies.
- David, Brooklyn, New York
The offending scene sounds stupid, but, last time I checked you don't censor stupid. Besides, if you think it's okay to roll Jesus' decapitated head across the stage, then you are a hypocrite to worry about rolling Mohammed's decapitated head across the stage.
- Judith M., Brainerd, USA
Go ahead with the Opera and don't be browbeaten by these extremists. Mozart is for the masses.
- Dhanraj, Basildon
So have the Taliban seized power in Germany? I must have missed that. We better put a stop to all forms of music and entertainment then and I’ll get started on a growing a big scary beard.
- Craig, London
