Cambridge University Opera Society Cancels Production, Citing Israel-Palestine Concerns

Regarding Handel's "Saul," the oratorio's director noted that the "striking synchronicity" between the work's themes and the ongoing conflict in Israel-Palestine could cause upset to some audience members

The Cambridge University Opera Society (CUOS) has opted to cancel its upcoming production of Handel's Saul over concerns that the oratorio's themes might cause upset to audience members with close personal connections to the ongoing violence in Israel and the Gaza strip.

Premiered in 1739, Handel's Saul sets a libretto by Charles Jennens that follows the events of the Bible's First Book of Samuel. The oratorio covers King Saul of Israel's ultimately destructive jealousy of the Israelite warrior David, who was to be his eventual successor. Saul eventually forces his children to choose between himself and David, leading both his family and the nation of Israel to a tragic crisis.

Both the President of CUOS and the director of Saul made statements in explanation of their decision, but neither student stated precisely how the oratorio's themes relate to the current conflict in Israel-Palestine. A number of commentators have assumed that the material seen to be contentious is David's killing of the Philistine giant Goliath, since the Philistines occupied a similar region to modern-day Palestine.

"It is with heavy heart that CUOS are announcing that due to the current sensitive political situation and unfortunate escalation of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel, we have decided that the production of Handel's Saul will not go ahead," said Beth Norman, the President of CUOS for the 2023/24 academic year.

"The unfolding situation in Gaza and the Middle East had [sic] shocked and appalled all people around the world, and especially those who have some personal connection to the region," said director Max Mason.

"Given the parallels [of the oratorio's plot] to this conflict, the production team made the difficult decision to cancel Saul," Mason continued. "We came to the unanimous conclusion that our production was not in the place to fully confront the issues that have striking synchronicity with the ongoing Middle East conflict. We began rehearsals before news of Gaza emerged, but, now with surmounting understanding of the full situation, we realise we cannot continue."

David Abulafia, an emeritus professor in Cambridge's Faculty of History and a Fellow at Gonville and Caius College, told the Telegraph that archaeological evidence suggests that the Philistines were much more closely related to Mycenaean Greeks than to modern-day Palestinians.

"The archaeological evidence shows the Philistines were probably sea raiders who came from the region of the Aegean sea and judging from their pottery, rituals and lifestyle at least the men were Mycenaeans, and the archaeological evidence makes them look like Bronze Age Greek soldiers,” he said.