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 The opera house made the move after an outpouring of concern
about the John Adams opera about the hijacking of the Achille
Lauro cruise ship by Palestinian militants in 1985 and the
killing of disabled, elderly American Jewish passenger Leon
Klinghoffer.
"I'm convinced that the opera is not anti-Semitic," Peter Gelb,
the Met's general manager, said in a statement. "But I've also
become convinced that there is genuine concern in the
international Jewish community that the live transmission of
'The Death of Klinghoffer' would be inappropriate at this time
of rising anti-Semitism, particularly in Europe."
The transmission of the opera, which premiered in 1991, had been
scheduled for Nov. 15. It is part of the Met's "Live in HD"
series that shows performances in movie theaters in the United
States as well as countries in Europe, North and South America,
Asia and Australia.
The Met praised Adams' work and said it would go ahead with the
eight stage presentations from Oct. 20 to Nov. 15 but would
include a message from Klinghoffer's daughters on its website
and in the show's playbill.
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"John Adams is one of America's greatest composers and 'The Death of
Klinghoffer' is one of his greatest works," Gelb added.
The Met said it made the decision after talks with Abraham Foxman,
the national director of the Anti-Defamation League, representing
the wishes of Klinghoffer's daughters.
It added that earlier productions of the opera, in London, New York,
St. Louis and California were performed without any problems.
(Reporting by Patricia Reaney; Editing by Eric Kelsey and Lisa
Shumaker)
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