In the wake of last week’s Republican nominating convention, La Cieca was just thinking to herself, “what the world needs now is another overprivileged white male complaining about political correctness.”  And, lo and behold, her wish was granted in the form of an interview with none other than Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber:

“So many people nowadays are obsessed with things offending people. Today people say you can’t do this because it will offend that community, and then you can’t say this because the Muslims will be offended by it and we’ll end up being talked out of it. Talked out of ideas.”

Among the explosively controversial projects Lloyd Webber is currently working on: a sequel to Phantom of the Opera, and a TV reality series casting the role of “Dorothy” for a stage revival of The Wizard of Oz.  He mentions that the program may (just may, mind you) go on to cast the role of Toto as well, but La Cieca is sure that these days, they’ll be forced to call the character an infidel dog.

[via The Press Association]

La Cieca

James Jorden (who wrote under the names "La Cieca" and "Our Own JJ") was the founder and editor of parterre box. During his 20 year career as an opera critic he wrote for the New York Times, Opera, Gay City News, Opera Now, Musical America and the New York Post. He also raised his voice in punditry on National Public Radio. From time to time he directed opera, including three unsuccessful productions of Don Giovanni. He also contributed a regular column on opera for the New York Observer. James died in October 2023.

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