Renowned filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, celebrated for his work on films such as ‘After the Hunt,’ ‘Challengers,’ and ‘Call Me By Your Name,’ has taken on the challenging task of directing John Adams’ opera ‘The Death of Klinghoffer.’ This 1991 opera, with music by John Adams and libretto by Alice Goodman, has consistently drawn criticism and accusations of antisemitism since its debut. The opera dramatizes the 1985 hijacking of the cruise ship Achille Lauro by the Palestinian Liberation Front, an act that resulted in the murder of Leon Klinghoffer, a disabled Jewish American tourist, and explores the profound grief and anger of his wife, Marilyn. The narrative is framed within a historical and almost mythical context.
Guadagnino, who admits to occasionally lapsing into film directing habits like calling “Cut!” and “Action!” during stage rehearsals, is directing his second opera, and his first in over fifteen years. The decision to stage ‘The Death of Klinghoffer’ has been met with significant controversy, with critics arguing that the opera risks romanticizing terrorism and exhibits antisemitic tendencies. Despite these accusations and the protests that have often accompanied its performances, Guadagnino expressed a strong desire to bring this particular work to the stage. In a rehearsal space within Florence’s Maggio Musicale Fiorentino theatre, Guadagnino was observed meticulously guiding the female chorus through their second-act entrance, demonstrating a passionate commitment to the production.