The Death of Klinghoffer: Chorus of Exiled Palestinians

The opening chorus from John Adams' 1995 opera "The Death of Klinghoffer," based on the hijacking of the cruise ship Achille Lauro in 1985. Libretto is by Alice Goodman, and this 2003 movie version was conceived and directed by Penny Woolcock.

• Category

  Music

[geobabe73]

This and the Chorus of the Exiled Jews are wonderful bits of music and they are absolutely TRASHED by this (tone-deaf) movie director. Opera Theater of St. Louis performed this opera recently and the choral parts were astounding. But you won't get the full impact from this video.

[Dylan Bryan-Dolman]

I'll speak up in defense of Penny Woolcock -- she draws some wonderful, very human performances out of her cast in the movie. The documentary style doesn't work for the choruses, it's true. But this was an opera written to be performed in a very abstract style (singers doubled by dancers on a cube of steel girders!) which obviously had to be discarded when they set about making a movie.

[Dylan Bryan-Dolman]

It's true that the wonderful choruses are the moments that ring most false, but I think that given the task of finding a naturalistic way of presenting something that had been very anti-naturalistic in concept, Woolcock did, on the whole, a pretty great job -- particularly in choosing and coaching her cast.

[HinZ3]

It's a definite shame that this chorus in particular isn't performed more or even cancelled at some concerts since the attacks on the World Trade Centre in 2001. Orchestra's should have more courage and not so much 'prudence'. You can't censor culture, not this piece anyway.

[Longfellow10]

John Adams is a national treasure. An intellectual giant and just plain damn good.

[Joseph Finkel]

Hmmm I'd be careful by calling this opera "bullshit" just because it doesn't appease your political appetite. Please be more subjective and tasteful when judging artistic endeavors. Also, there is much great literature about this opera and if you would like to become more informed, look at Bob Fink's article "Klinghoffer in Brooklyn Heights."

[Mirandu Kan]

Agreed. The fact that Death of Klinghoffer's premier got so much flak for being "anti-Semitic" and "pro-terrorist" shows that we've still got a lot of growing up to do as a society.

This piece actually helps explore the reasoning behind the terrorist's actions. They feel dominated, oppress, and exiled by western powers. In the case of the Palestinians, they lost their lands and now live as second-class citizens in their own country. It's not because they're inherently violent of "hate freedom".

[carambola08]

Each day I admire John Adams more and more. Great video, great composer.

[golddjlr]

The Israelis are targeting Hamas, while the response of Hamas, Hezbollah, and PFLP, is to target Israeli civilians. The Arabs are the ones aiming at civilians, not the Israelis.

Read the Hamas charter for their plan to commit genocide.

[golddjlr]

The Israelis have built a democratic, thriving country that the Palestinians are trying to tear down. There has been no answer to Israeli peace offers that go back to 1920, almost 100 years ago.

[ricarleite]

The Israelis are as wrong as the Palestineans. The only difference is that the Israeli's terrorist cell called Moussad is MUCH more efficient and well-trainned. Their bombs hit the target and their killings are well executed.

Both sides are wrong, and their raging blindness in name of made-up religions for false gods will destroy the whole world one day.

[postpile]

IAMTROYDAVIS---NEXT SCHEDULED AMERICAN MURDER...ANTHONY BARTEE

[golddjlr]

a motive? Let's hear the motives of the Nazis while you're at it. It's anti-Semitism that allows people to kill an elderly man who was not even in the area in 1948.

If Jews were the same as Palestinians,we'd be blowing up Europe with suicide bombers from our refugee camps instead of building a country. After 63 years, Israel is here to stay. The Palestinians are too busy trying to tear Israel down to build their own country. This opera is bullshit.

[thamestango]

It might have had a greater impact with just the images and the music.. the contrast in the horrific images and the serenely lyrical music could have been very powerful.

[geobabe73]

@dbryandolman: With that said, I think it's a crime that the only way I can hear this music is from excerpts from the movie. This is wonderful music and the fact that it convers a controversial subject should not deter opera companies or symphonies from performing it.