CHURCH CALLS FOR ENDING CONFLICT OVER "TANNHAUSER" WITHOUT JUDICIAL SENTENCES
Interfax-Religiia, 5 March 2015
The church is prepared for a dialogue with art leaders, including with the authors of the Novosibirsk production of the opera "Tannhauser," and it warns believers against going to court for any reason.
"The church, like nobody else, is interested that there not be criminal cases on the basis of laws protecting the feelings of believers. We are called to find a common language with creative people and with journalists in peace and mutual understanding," declared the head of the synod's Information Department, Vladimir Legoida, whom his press service quoted on Thursday.
"Therefore I call the authors of the Novosibirsk 'Tannhauser' to listen to believing people and put an end to this conflict situation without judicial verdicts. I hope that this is still possible," he concluded.
V. Legoida recalled that in 2011 the bishops' council adopted the document "The attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church toward deliberate public blasphemy and slander against the church" which mainly focused on news media, but is also applicable to relations in the sphere of culture.
This document says that "in cases of insult toward God or sacred objects in the public space it is important that authorized synodal or diocesan church bodies give a qualified assessment of a given act and determine means of combating blasphemy in the specific instance."
"Obviously from this it does not follow that any believer or priest who has seen something in the public space that seems to him to be blasphemy or offensive to his feelings should run off to the prosecutor's office on his own initiative," the church's representative explained.
He noted that Metropolitan of Novosibirsk and Berdsk Tikhon acted in accordance with church law and, taking into account the exceptional character of the situation, he sent a complaint to law enforcement agencies about the production of the opera "Tannhauser."
"But this precedent does not at all give the right to every clergyman and believer on any occasion to turn to the court, especially considering the requirements of the document adopted by the bishops' council," V. Legoida emphasized.
In his opinion, the reaction of one of the priests to the production of "The Blizzard" in Izhevsk is strange, especially in light of the fact that the diocese refrained from evaluating the production. (tr. by PDS, posted 5 March 2015)
DUMA DEPUTY YAROSLAV NILOV INSISTS ON HOLDING "TANNHAUSER" DIRECTOR CRIMINALLY LIABLE "FOR HURTING BELIEVERS' FEELINGS"
For staging in a Novosibirsk theatre the opera "Tannhauser," which offends the feelings of believers, it is necessary to punish the director, Timofei Kuliabin. This is the opinion of the chairman of the State Duma Committee on Affairs of Public Associations and Religious Organizations, Yaroslav Nilov.
"Praise God, we have this law. In our country citizens are punished not for offending but for actions committed with the goal of offending. Regardless of the injured party there is a relevant basis for opening a criminal case," he declared to the Russian News Service on 5 March.
Nilov thinks that the director should be held criminally liable on the basis of the relevant article regarding hurting believers' feelings.
"I am a proponent that it is better to hold one person criminally liable than to give others the possibility of publishing such materials and create a desire in others to take revenge, to commit terrorist acts, as the result of which completely innocent people may perish, including you and me," he added.
For such actions a sufficiently harsh punishment has been established—up to three years incarceration with or without one year of probation.
Earlier a complaint against the production in a Novosibirsk theatre of the opera "Tannhauser" was received by the prosecutor's office on the basis of a statement by RPTsMP Metropolitan of Novosibirsk and Berdsk Tikhon, who detected in the production specifically inappropriate use of a church symbol.
An administrative case was opened against director Timofei Kuliabin, suspected of "intentional public desecration of religious or liturgical literature, objects of religious veneration, or signs or emblems of worldview symbols and paraphernalia, or their damage or destruction."
If the director is held responsible, he faces a fine of 50 thousand rubles or compulsory labor of up to five days. (tr. by PDS, posted 5 March 2015)
EVGENY MIRONOV CALLS FOR PUBLIC DISCUSSION AROUND NOVOSIBIRSK
PERFORMANCE OF "TANNHAUSER"
Creators brought to trial after complaint by RPTsMP bishop
Evgeny Mironov, the artistic director of the State Theatre of Nations, appealed to the prosecutor's office and the Investigative Directorate of the Russian Investigation Committee for Novosibirsk province with regard to the situation surrounding the opera "Tannhauser" produced by Timofei Kuliabin in the Novosibirsk Theatre of Opera and Ballet, IARegnum reports on 4 March.
In Mironov's opinion, Kuliabin is one of the most talented young directors of Russia "behind whom stands the future of our theatre art." He noted that young art always seeks new paths and means of expression of their thoughts and ideas and the interpretation of the sense of an artistic production is the personal affairs of the viewer. Mironov added that, just like those "who initiated the proceedings," he has not seen the performance himself.
By definition, theatre cannot offend any kind of feelings, sincere or imaginary, Mironov affirms, and disputes over the production should be conducted "exclusively in the free atmosphere of public discussion and not in the courts." "Theatre can excite or may evoke disagreement and may even anger; the main thing is that it should not leave the viewer indifferent," the artistic director thinks.
Earlier Oleg Tabakov and Alexander Kaliagin called for ceasing the hounding of the creators of the controversial production. Tabakov noted that "the very fact of the opening of a criminal case regarding an artistic production, however controversial and ambiguous it may be, cannot help but evoke alarm." Kaliagin suggested "a public discussion of the production" and "listening to expert opinion."
We recall that the prosecutor's office of Novosibirsk opened an administrative proceeding with respect to the director of the Novosibirsk State Theatre of Opera and Ballet, Boris Mezdrich, and the director, Timofei Kuliabin, who staged Richard Wagner's opera "Tannhauser," bringing its action into the contemporary setting. The case was opened on the basis of the article regarding desecration of religious literature and objects of religious veneration, symbols, and paraphernalia. An investigation was conducted on the basis of a declaration by RPTsMP Metropolitan of Novosibirsk and Berdsk Tikhon. (tr. by PDS, posted 5 March 2015)
TRIAL IN CASE ON STAGING "TANNHAUSER" IN NOVOSIBIRSK POSTPONED A WEEK
Interfax-Religiia, 4 March 2015
A municipal court of the Central district of Novosibirsk postponed to 10 March the consideration of the administrative case in regard to the director of a Novosibirsk theatre, Boris Mezdrich, in connection with the staging of the opera "Tannhauser," an Interfax correspondent reported from the court.
The trial was postponed in connection with satisfying the defense petition of B. Mezdrich regarding summons of witnesses, specifically the artistic director.
Also after the questioning of witnesses, the court plans to issue a decision on the defense petition insisting on the conduct of a comprehensive artistic and religious studies expert analysis of the production.
As B. Mezdrich declared to journalists after the court session, the position of the prosecutor's office is based to a substantial degree on a study of the booklet of the opera and not its performance. He emphasized that the theatre does not intend to remove the opera from its repertoire and it also thinks that it will not be interrupted; the next performance is scheduled for 14 and 15 March.
In the opinion of the director of the theatre, an order for a comprehensive expert analysis in the case is "a key moment."
"The prosecutor's office cannot and does not have the right by law to monopolize the right to an artistic decision and to artistic expression. This is not in the law," B. Mezdrich said. (tr. by PDS, posted 5 March 2015)
DRAMA AGAINST WHICH UDMURT PRIEST COMPLAINED DOES NOT OFFEND BELIEVERS—THEATRE ADMINISTRATION
Interfax-Religiia, 4 March 2015
The chief director of the State Russian Dramatic Theatre of Udmurtia, Petr Shereshevskii, does not agree with the declaration of a local priest to the effect that their play based on the Pushkin story "The Blizzard" offends religious feelings.
"The drama 'The Blizzard' based on themes of a short story by A.S. Pushkin in the staging by V. Sigarev does not in any degree violate the rights to freedom of conscience and religious confession and does not offend the religious feelings of believers," a commentary by P. Shereshevskii says, which was posted on the theatre's website.
"Russia is a secular state. A priest is not God. He is a man and he can commit any sinful actions. Any artistic representation of a priest, including a satirical one, cannot offend the religious feelings of believers. In the portrayal of a priest on stage, naturally he will be dressed as a priest. His costume is an artistic image and not real church vestments," the director noted. Otherwise, he continued, it is necessary to forbid not only staging but even publishing and distributing half of the works of classical literature.
It was reported earlier that a priest of the cathedral of St. Michael of the Izhevsk diocese sent to the administration of the head of government of Udmurtia an appeal with the request for an "appropriate reaction" of the administration of the republic. He also demanded an official apology from the theatre, the director of the production, and the Ministry of Culture for offending his religious feelings.
The priest is upset by the use during the production of a cross and archbishop's vestments as well as the creation "of an outrageous image of a priest as a drunk and extortionist." He thinks that this is a violation of article 148 of the Criminal Code (public actions expressing clear disrespect toward society and performed for the purpose of offending the religious feelings of believers). The author of the appeal demanded an end to the use of an Orthodox symbol in performances; otherwise he intends to appeal to a court and the prosecutor's office.
Commenting on this letter, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Udmurtia Vladimir Soloviev told Interfax that an expert council will be created in the republic using cultural leaders, who will evaluate the performance before its premiers. He emphasized that the drama "The Blizzard" will not be removed from the theatre's repertoire.
The press secretary of the Izhevsk and Udmurtia diocese, Archpriest Dimitry Leontiev, said the priest regrets that his statement evoked such a public resonance. "Naturally he did not want this. He wanted for the authorities and those who can have an impact on this production to do something. Because actually this image of a priest is replicated—a bribe-taker and drunkard—especially on the eve of the Great Fast [Lent]. It is possible to understand completely his feelings as a believing person," the news agency's source said, adding that the priest's statement is not the official position of the diocese but his personal opinion as a believing person.
The premier of the drama "The Blizzard" was held in the Russian Dramatic Theatre of Udmurtia on 5 March [sic] and the next performance is scheduled for 21 March. (tr. by PDS, posted 5 March 2015)
RELIGIOUS STUDIES SCHOLARS FROM MOSCOW TO CONDUCT EXPERT ANALYSIS OF "TANNHAUSER"
The Novosibirsk court permitted the defense of the director of the opera "Tannhauser," Timofei Kuliabin, to call character witnesses. There may also appear in court kandidats of historical and philosophical sciences who are prepared to conduct a religious studies expert analysis of the production. This was reported on 5 March by Taiga.info. The next session of the trial will be held on 6 March.
The publication notes that subpoenas have been sent to Boris Falikov, a kandidat of historical sciences and docent of the Center for the Study of Religions of the Russian State Humanities University, and Vladimir Vinokurov, kandidat of philosophical sciences and distinguished teacher of the Moscow State University.
The case is against the director of the Novosibirsk theatre, Boris Mezdruch, and the director Timofei Kuliabin, who staged "Tannhauser," for "intentional public desecration of religious or liturgical literature, objects of religious veneration, and signs or emblems symbolizing worldview." The reason for initiation of the case was a complaint from Metropolitan of Novosibirsk and Berdsk Tikhon, who saw in the production "demeaning of the feelings of believers, desecration of the Orthodox Church, and inflaming of religious hostility."
The Russian Code of Administrative Violations of Law provides in such situations for a fine of from thirty thousand to fifty thousand rubles. (tr. by PDS, posted 5 March 2015)
NOVOSIBIRSK COURT DENIES "TANNHAUSER" DIRECTOR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT ANALYSIS
A municipal court of the Central district of Novosibirsk denied the director of the production of "Tannhauser," Timofei Kuliabin, the conduct of a comprehensive expert analysis of the production by specialists in religion and culture, BBC reported on 5 March.
Judge Ekaterina Sorokina explained that the court will issue such a decision, since she thinks that evidence presented in court will be sufficient for issuing a decision in the case.
Earlier the prosecutor's office of Novosibirsk opened an administrative case with respect to director Kuliagin and also with respect to the theatre's director, Boris Mezdrich.
Acting as the declarer for the prosecutor's office is RPTsMP Metropolitan of Novosibirsk and Berdsk Tikhon. In his opinion, the interpretation of the opera hurts believers' feelings. The action of the opera has been transposed into the present time: Tannhauser is presented in the form of a motion picture director who made the film "The maiden's grotto" regarding the alleged sinful youth of Jesus Christ. (tr. by PDS, posted 5 March 2015)
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