Looks like the Bavarians are taking a break from eviscerating conductors. Local animal rights activists are up in arms after it was reported that the State Opera's new Rusalka will incorporate dead deer.
A fresh deer will be provided for every performance of Martin Kusej's production, which opens on 23 October. The carcasses will have to be thrown away immediately after each show for hygiene reasons.
The Bayerischen Tierschutzbundes (Animal Protection League) have asked State Opera director Nikolaus Bachler to use a plastic dummy instead. The Bund Naturschutz in Bayern described the production as "very questionable" and expressed shock at the "insensitivity" of the artists to living beings.
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*UPDATE* the protests have forced the State Opera to back down - they're going to use a fake deer instead.
