12 thoughts on “Tutu Calls for South African Opera to Boycott Israel – Tikun Olam תיקון עולם إصلاح العالم
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  1. How incredibly hypocritical it is to claim that the ‘arts’ are not political when in fact, for the artistic world to claim they are exempt from what is going on all around them is a deliberate willingness to disconnect art, and its meanings, from the audience. It’s self serving and the lowest form of denial to blithely decide to perform before an audience whose collective actions have so decimated a people as the Israelis have done to the Palestinians.

    So often “culture” means nothing more than “making a buck” off someone. Margaret Atwood comes to mind.

    1. The Arts and Entertainment industry has a powerful role to play in this struggle. I’m deeply disappointed in this outcome and feel that there is a lack of artistic integrity in this decision.

      Thank God for artists like Santana and Roger Waters. Maybe Desmond Tutu can organize a concert somewhere (except Israel) with these two and invite artists from around the world, even artists from Israel, Palestine and Muslim countries to hold a global event that could be titled:

      FREE ISRAEL! FREE PALESTINE!

  2. thats ok…i would prefer watching ozzie and john lydon performing porgy and bess anyway

    both have upcoming gigs in israel

    1. Eventually, it’s going to come to the point where YOU will have to perform Porgy and Bess. They won’t be able to draw anyone to perform in Israel if it keeps going down its current disastrous path. Since Tiny Tim is dead, they’ll have to press gang you into service. That’s a performance I’d almost be willing to shell out money to see. You in black face with an Israeli flag in the background. Delightful!

      1. “Eventually, it’s going to come to the point where YOU will have to perform Porgy and Bess. […] You in black face with an Israeli flag in the background.”

        LOL! Hilarious! I’d pay too!

      2. Oh Richard, this particular comment just made me crack up here at the office much to the surprise of the colleagues who looked on bewildered and confused. Excellent! It’s just so true though. good luck to our buddy ujmcc, if trends continue!

  3. I find Porgy and Bess a pretty boring work. This is undoubtedly due to the fact that it no longer has the revolutionary effect it did back 70 years ago.
    Your suggestion of an all-Palestinian cast captures this nicely: forcing people to actually look and see reality.

    Of course, people may always choose not to attend the show. Porgy and Bess did not lure people in under the pretense of having the usual all-white cast, then drop the race bomb on them with the opening number!

    We may always choose to be monstrous; it is our right to do so… maybe.

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