BERLIN A German opera company said Friday it would bring back a Mozart opera canceled because of security fears over a scene featuring the severed head of the Prophet Muhammad.
The Deutsche Oper Berlin said it hoped to stage two performances of the Hans Neuenfels production of Mozart's "Idomeneo" before the end of the year, after receiving a new security assessment from the police. In September, the opera director, Kirsten Harms, canceled four scheduled performances after the police told her the opera could pose an "incalculable" security risk. The cancellation triggered fierce debate about freedom of expression and was condemned by politicians and artists who said Germans should not bow to fears of terrorism. Chancellor Angela Merkel said the cancellation was a mistake and self-censorship would not help against people who want to practice violence in the name of Islam. The production includes a scene with the severed heads of Jesus, Muhammad, Poseidon and Buddha, which the director added as a protest against organized religion. Neuenfels refused to cut the scene, and Harms said she would stage the production only after an all-clear from the police. The Berlin police issued a statement Thursday saying there was no "concrete danger" to the opera or staff. $@ Police said they would discuss possible security measures close to the date of the performances.
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