Guy Dammann

Boo the knee-jerk reaction to William Tell not the rape scene

‘I blame Princess Diana’, was my guest’s response to it all. Certainly, there is much we might lay at the feet of our long lamented People’s Princess, but I struggled to see how the current situation was her fault.

The situation in question was as follows: a sizeable group of offended opera goers sought, with an extended imitation of disgruntled livestock, to bring the third act of the Royal Opera’s new production of William Tell to its knees. And there they were again, booing and braying their way through the curtain call, making sure the production’s director Damiano Michieletto knew their unease was intended personally.

Certainly, something was to blame. Lady Di’s candidacy, my friend patiently explained, was down to the fact that it was she, or rather her demise, that wrested loose the Great British public’s collective stiff upper lip.

Comments

Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months

Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.

Already a subscriber? Log in