Just in: Senior critic quits after newspaper bows to pressure and pulls his opera review
mainArthur Kaptainis is probably the most respected music critic in Canada.
Just not by the Canadian Opera Company.
When COC read his review for Mametto II online in the National Post they called in and demanded its removal (recte: two corrections. see here). Unbelievably, the weak-kneed newspaper obliged.
Arthur promptly resigned from the paper. Our friends at MusicalToronto have published his review.
Read it here.
It’s not a particularly tough review. What glue are they sniffing at COC?
This is a major press freedom issue. Cancel the National Post until it apologises and beware of an opera company that is able to reduce national media to submission.
I thought Kapitainis was with the Montreal Gazette.
COC probably didn’t like this:
“Are the Turks supposed to be ninjas or ISIS fighters? An array of hanging body bags and the relatively graphic downstage execution of a prisoner argue in favour of the latter.”
Seems the culprit is Postmedia Network Inc.
It includes all these:
Calgary Herald
Canada.com
Edmonton Journal
Infomart
Montreal Gazette
National Post
Ottawa Citizen
The Province (Vancouver)
Regina Leader-Post
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Vancouver Sun
Windsor Star
His name is Kaptainis.
On topic, I agree.
Yes, Kaptainis. My typo. I’ve had a drink with him actually. Very pleasant. And I think his copy is independent and pithy too, as it should be.
This puts Kaptainis in good company:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/23/margaret-atwood-stephen-harper-hair-canada
Reminds one of play … Much ado about northing ….