Daniel Barenboim got an ovation even before he conducted Wagner’s Die Walküre at Milan’s La Scala last Tuesday. It was after he addressed Italian President Giorgio Napolitano, who was in the royal box:
“In the names of the colleagues who play, sing, dance and work, not only here but in all theatres, I am here to tell you we are deeply worried for the future of culture in the country and in Europe.”
Mr. Barenboim also quoted Article 9 of the Italian Constitution, which directs the government to promote culture and protect the nation’s artistic heritage.
There was an equally impassioned performance in front of the historic opera house earlier in the day as caribinieri beat and gassed protesters, hundreds of cultural workers and students from across Italy. The protests were in response to proposed drastic cuts in government funding for education and the arts.
Inside La Scala, after Wotan protected the dead Brünnhilde with a circle of magic fire, Israeli guest conductor Barenboim had a fiery curtain speech of his own:
“Culture is not a luxury, it is not something only aesthetic, it is ethical. Human ethics are expressed truly in culture, in music, in opera, in theatre. It is ridiculous to think you can resolve economic problems by cutting culture.”
See Daniel Barenboim’s opening remarks (in Italian), the Italian National Anthem (“Il Canto degli Italiani”), and the opera’s overture here.
Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com
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Tags: arts, arts policy, Barenboim, cultural policy, culture, Daniel Barenboim, Italy, La Scala, Milan, opera, protest
NotionsCapital 
December 16, 2010 at 3:01 am
Bravo! I got the gist in Italiano of the rant and the overture. I grew up with violin (school) and private ballet and piano. My favorite book was about Mozart, Ok also had ones about JFK and Abe Lincoln and ballerina Maria Tallchief. And the best female sharpshooter around, Annie Oakley. But Mozart ruled.
Culture has already been cut from public schools, that’s why we help pay for private school for our nephew. It’s fine telling it from a park bench with our dogs, but we don’t have kids. What do parents do?
December 16, 2010 at 8:32 am
tdl1501 wrote: I grew up with violin (school) and private ballet and piano.
You may not perform today but you understand music and dance.
My favorite book was about Mozart, Ok also had ones about JFK and Abe Lincoln and ballerina Maria Tallchief. And the best female sharpshooter around, Annie Oakley. But Mozart ruled.
Older folks may remember Landmark Books. Many titles are biographies of historical figures. Today it seems that Landmark Books are only bought by home schoolers.
Culture has already been cut from public schools
Cut from schools that still have lavishly-outfitted sports teams. Music, dance, and visual arts are part of the required curriculum according the the U.S. Department of Education. Since schools without real arts programs are not meeting their mandated obligations, they should be forced to give their federal aid money back.
What do parents do?
I know what Daniel Barenboim did for some of them. He founded music kindergartens in Ramallah Palestine and Berlin.