Silent Night: Berlin cancels Israel in Egypt
NewsThe Rias Chamber Choir of Berlin has dropped Handel’s oratorio ‘Israel in Egypt’ from its New Year’s Day concert.
Guess why?
‘In the oratorio, there is a one-sided and all-conquering power, which is represented primarily by the choir. We do not consider it appropriate to perform this depiction for our audiences in the new year, even if it originates from the Old Testament, given the current situation. Rather, it is our concern to begin the year with a request for peace.’
German media have begun to rumble. The state-funded radio chorus says it will sing a Psalm instead.
To those with half a brain cell to spare, Handel’s oratorio celebrates a Biblical liberation struggle against the world’s biggest colonial power. But go tell that to tweeters of false peace narratives. ‘Israel in Egypt’ may need a new title.
Well, you wanted musicians to take a political stance in today’s woke culture?
They just did.
It’s not a good look
“Egypt and Israel.”
Berlin never did get of the 3rd Reich, did they?
“Celebration of a liberation struggle against a colonial power?” One does get the sense at times, Mr Lebrecht, that self awareness when it comes to Middle Eastern geopolitics maybe isn’t your strongest suit…
Maybe we could ask Handel to return and compose Moron in Berlin.
Didn’t an Oxbridge choir cancel a Handel performance just recently?
I didn’t do anything for Hanukka this year, didn’t go to hear excerpts from “Judas Maccabeus”, because it didn’t feel right.
But “Israel in Egypt” is about another situation altogether. There’s sensitivity and there’s oversensitivity.
Decision seems to be more in the spirit of “O Freunde nicht diese Töne”; let us strike up a more joyful sound. Something like that. Don’t mention ze war!
It’s not 1201 BCE—“the world’s biggest colonial power “ lolol
Was Egypt in the second millennium BCE really the world’s biggest colonial power?
I don’t think any of the empires of that time could be considered colonial powers in the way that we think of them today, perhaps the Phoenicians or Mycenaean Greece? Either way I didn’t really understand what was ment by that line ♂️.
One word: cowardly. One more word: clueless.
How about Israel in Denial?
“…Handel’s oratorio celebrates a Biblical liberation struggle against the world’s biggest colonial power.”
I think the analogy here might be a doubled edged sword.
Pure woke cowardice….and stupidity
I’m as woke as anyone, but this seems dumb.
Saw someone howling recently on FB about the ROH performing Jephta and said they felt insulted
Not so inappropriate, after all there is a taint of incipient Christian Zionism implied in the text, referring to the Israelites journey to the Holy Land: “All the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away … they shall be as still as a stone”
Bibi’s wet dream. Amazing how roles have changed throughout history.
I haven’t heard any comments about the opening of Handel’s “Messiah.” Remember this line? Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished….
Physical extermination had always been preceeded by moral negation and de-humanization. Rewriting Jews and Israel out of history is a step towards a goal: A world without Jews and without Israel.
The text of Israel in Egypt accurately portrays the Abrahamic deity, beloved of the theocratic supporters of both Hamas and Likud, as a blood-thirsty murderer, indeed it revels in those 7 plagues. What’s not to like?
Seems to me that if they didn’t want it performed, they might have informed the performers BEFORE rehearsals started and soloists were engaged. The reason given could have been given months ago and spared lots of trouble and this unnecessary announcement.