A Rationale for Performing Wagner

DANIEL BARENBOIM, director and chief conductor of the Berliner Staatsoper (State Opera of Berlin), wants to perform Richard Wagner’s “The Valkyrie” at the Israel Festival with the Staatskapelle (Orchestra of the State Opera) in July.

Because Wagner was Hitler’s favorite composer, Wagner is still taboo in Israel. Many have objected to Barenboim’s decision, including Israeli politicians who point out that 300,000 Holocaust survivors live in Israel and that many Jews were led to the gas chambers to the sound of Wagner’s music.

Here is Barenboim’s reply:

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Quite understandably, the debate around Wagner resurfaces in Israel at regular intervals. No consensus can as of yet be expected on this topic. Thus it seems necessary to take some time to consider the historical background.

Bronislaw Hubermann founded the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in 1936 at a time when no taboo existed against Wagner’s works. At that same time, conductor Arturo Toscanini, a well-known anti-fascist, decided to stop performing at the Bayreuth Festival because of Hitler’s presence at a performance of Wagner at the second inaugural concert of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is independently managed and did not decide until after Kristallnacht (“Crystal Night”) in 1938 to stop performing Wagner. The associations connected to Wagner’s music because of its misuse by the Nazis were deemed too strong.

After several failed attempts, the Israel Festival has invited me to conduct a concert on July 7 during the Israel tour of the “Staatskapelle Berlin” that includes, among other works, music by Wagner.

I have the greatest understanding and compassion for all Holocaust survivors and their terrible associations with Wagner’s music. Therefore, Wagner’s works should not be played during concerts for regular season ticket-holders during which faithful subscribers would be confronted with music that raises painful memories.

However, the question must be asked whether any person has the right to deprive any other person who does not have these same associations of the possibility of hearing Wagner’s music. This would indirectly serve the misuse of Wagner’s music by the Nazis.

After all, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra’s decision to cease performing Wagner’s music was not based on Wagner’s anti-Semitism, which had been well-established since the 19th century, but on the terrible associations created by the Nazis.

Certain decisions are absolutely correct and understandable at certain times. However, new developments sometimes change situations, thus making a revision of past decisions necessary.

An example for this is the position taken by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra after World War II and the Holocaust not to engage conductors and soloists, such as Bruno Walter and Otto Klemperer, who had converted from Judaism before or during the war. Given the circumstances at that time, this decision was understandable.

However, over time this position was canceled, as conversion was no longer considered to be a sign of weakness or of an attempt to improve one’s personal fate through assimilation. Nowadays, there would be no problem in inviting a converted Jew to perform music with the orchestra.

The present debate about Wagner is very similar. In 1938, the decision against his music was understandable as the terrible associations with his music were too strong. I also understand that some people cannot forget these associations and one should not force them to ever listen to Wagner’s music in a concert.

However, Israel should also act as a totally democratic state. This entails not preventing people who are free of these associations from listening to Wagner’s music.

It is not my intention to wage a missionary’s war in favor of Wagner in Israel. I do feel, however, that this is a case where Israel can and should define itself as a democracy.

It has always been said that Israel is a state for Jews, and this is as it should be. However, Israel’s population includes almost 20% non-Jewish citizens.

Even if it is a state for Jews, it still has the obligation to treat its non-Jewish inhabitants as equal citizens. This is the sign of a true democracy, and this is where I see a parallel to the debate about Wagner.