A Night at the Opera

Achille Lauro

Still from the film The Death of Klinghoffer directed by Penny Woolcock

It was a privilege to experience a magnificent production of  John Adams' "The Death of Klinghoffer" by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis this past week.  Though the world premiere took place in Brussels twenty years ago, performances have been rare due to its controversial subject. The opera tells the 1985 story of the murder of Leon Klinghoffer, an elderly Jewish wheel chair-bound American, by Palestinian terrorists who had taken over the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro. The time when this tragedy took place seems so long ago.  Sadly, given the never-ending Palestinian-Israeli conflicts, things seem not to have improved at all.  This moving opera raises an opportunity for civic dialogue by presenting both sides of the story. The set by Allen Moyer was particularly  powerful in support of the music.  I highly recommend that you see it!