There is no indication in any of the publicity material or ads that the opera has been revised in any manner.
One of the songs, however, has been altered to to cast barbs at the current financial crisis and the outgoing president of the United States.
- Aside from questions of taste and wit, has the opera company engaged in unethical behavior?
- Is it ethical to change the lyrics of a well-known and established piece of work in order to promote any political viewpoint?
- If that is done, shouldn't the alteration be announced in advance so the customers can decide if they want to attend a revised version?
- Would it be ethical to advertise a play by William Shakespeare or Tennessee Williams and then, without giving notice to the public, change the playwright's words in order to provide commentary on current events?
- Does the audience's reaction to the change have any relevance as to whether the behavior is unethical?
5 comments:
1. Yes
2. No (Copyright-holder's OK needed to even have a chance at a "Maybe".)
3. Yes. (Lawsuit by IP owner stopping it would then be possible.)
4. No. (Author's name is immaterial.)
5. No.
I once aspired to be in theater for a living. One of the main reasons I left was the low (and I do mean low) moral standards of those who are in the profession. Unsuprisingly, they were (and are) overwhelming liberal, anti-traditional values, and overweeningly egotistical. It almost certainly never occured to them that anyone might take offense at such a change. Indeed, most of that sort don't know anyone who disagrees with their outlook on life.
Sorry you had such an experience, but I can't say I'm suprised.
See, this is why the country has shifted out from under conservatives. Who on earth feels sorry for a someone who has to hear a few anti-Bush jokes at an opera? Do you not realize that by pointing out how aggrieved you are by something so trivial, you only emphasize how wonderful you have it compared to the average person? (And I say this as someone who has it pretty wonderful myself).
Walk out. Complain to the company and report the opera to the BBB. Discuss ruefully with your ideologically similar friends.
Talk radio and the Internet have brought us to this. I used to feel sympathy for conservatives when they talked about "liberal whining," but instead of continuing to stand on principle, they developed their own unbelievably infinitesimal slights to whine about.
Surely Reagan, Buckley and other early heroes of the movement wouldn't have wasted their time talking about the ethics of an opera company.
I suspect that the song in question was "I've got a little list". There is a long tradition that this particular song is given new contemporary topical words in every production. In fact I would feel a bit cheated if I went to a production of the Mikado and they hadn't bothered to substitute up-to-date words. It's a bit like a cadenza in a classical piece of music - a space where the performer improvizes within the overall structure of the music.
I'd disagree with your last point. If your audience likes it (and you could reasonably predict in advance that they would like it) then you are simply giving the people what they want. Which is usually what people seek when they go for entertainment.
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