Court Opera
Yesterday World Central District Court of Novosibirsk ceased all business related to the set in the Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre of Richard Wagner’s opera “Tannhäuser”. Prosecutor’s check was initiated at the request of the Metropolitan Tikhon of Novosibirsk and Berd who found staged desecration of Christian values.
Premiere of “Tannhauser” was held in Novosibirsk Opera and Ballet Theatre in December last year. Directed by Timothy Kulyabin made in the libretto of Wagner some changes. In the original, the protagonist, Henry Knight Tannhäuser, Venus leaves the grotto where he was before, achieving a position of the goddess of love, and returns to the world of mortals. In the version of Mr. Kuljabina Tannhauser – film director, a film about not described in the Gospel of Jesus’s life, which he actually spent in the pleasures of a palace of Venus. In one scene, Novosibirsk staging down a huge poster of an imaginary film, on which Jesus is depicted in the background of the thighs of Venus.
The December premiere went smoothly – the opera had a good critique (in particular, see. “Kommersant” dated December 24, 2014) and has not caused much scandal. However, in February in Novosibirsk Prosecutor’s Office received a statement from the Metropolitan Tikhon of Novosibirsk and Berd. As it became known during the trial, the parishioners have previously shown priest illegally make shooting Novosibirsk “Tannhauser”, after which he turned to law enforcement agencies to open administrative proceedings under Part. 2 tbsp. 5.26 of the Administrative Code (deliberate public desecration of religious or theological literature, objects of religious veneration, signs or emblems ideological symbols and paraphernalia of any damage or destruction). Simultaneously, the Investigative Committee was started checking under Art. 148 of the Criminal Code (violation of the right to freedom of conscience and religion). Administrative proceedings were opened against the director Kuljabina and theater director Boris Mezdricha.
The case has caused a huge public outcry. With a letter in support of the statement of the law enforcement agencies have addressed, in particular, Oleg Tabakov, Alexander Kalyagin, Yevgeny Mironov and Kirill Serebrennikov. Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, including the head of the Synodal Information Department Vladimir Legoyda, urged parties to the conflict to engage in dialogue and offered to resolve the contradictions in the court. At the same time meetings were held in Novosibirsk believers protesting against setting Timothy Kuljabina.
In early March, were announced the results of the prosecutor’s investigation. According to the deputy city prosecutor Igor Stasyulisa, involving experts in prison doctor of theology Archpriest Boris Pivovarov “unambiguous conclusion that the use in the production of” Tannhauser “Christian images that were not in the original Wagner, allowed the desecration of Christian values.” As indicated in the materials testing, staged by the Novosibirsk theater “evangelical image of Jesus Christ is the basis of the plot of the first part of the first act, where Jesus spent time in the grotto of Venus”; “In the second act presented a promotional poster for the film” The Lady’s Grotto “with a naked woman, between his legs which depicts a man, associated with the image of Jesus Christ.” In early March, the materials received by the World Court for the Central District.
First Court heard the case of theater director Boris Mezdricha. Boris Brewers said that directors “Tannhauser” “method was used to overlay the sacred indecent.” Musicologist Marina Pusik-Trofimuk, speaking for the prosecution, said she was delighted with the musical part of the statement only, but during the scenes with the actor, to remind her of Jesus Christ, she turned away, and then left the room without waiting for the end of the play, as well, According to Ms. Pusik-Trofimuk, received, and many other viewers.
Then the evidence presented Protection – she initiated previously had an additional examination, as the conclusions of Mr. Pivovarova, according to lawyers, have been made in the interests of only one side of the conflict. In particular, Associate Professor Center for Religious Studies, Russian State Humanitarian University Boris Falikov said Timothy Kulyabin turns staged a Christian symbol, but “symbols and images being extracted from a religious context, lose their sacred sacred meaning.” Protection filed a motion for admission of numerous letters in support of the statement of Novosibirsk. However, the court rejected the lawyers.
“We have a statement of Metropolitan Tikhon, who has not seen the show. We are excited prosecutors administrative proceedings that have not seen the show. We have a court hearing the case, which as well as prosecutors, have not seen the show, “- said in his speech in court, Mr. Mezdrich. At the same time, the director, a church document “The attitude of the ROC to the intentional public blasphemy”, adopted by the Council of Bishops in February 2011, primarily offers to start negotiations and advocacy, and only at the last – to contact the authorities.
Mr Mezdrich said that, if convicted, the number of such cases will increase exponentially and activates the radical wing of the Orthodox Church. The judge Ekaterina Sorokina retired to the jury room, and came back and closed the case of Boris Mezdricha “in the absence of an administrative offense.” The court’s decision in the hall applauded. Later on the same grounds and the court dismissed the case in relation to Timothy Kuljabina. Whether to appeal the court decision, the prosecutor’s office of Novosibirsk yesterday could not tell.
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