Philip Glass objects to ‘act of piracy’

The American composer Philip Glass has published an open letter on X/Twitter protesting unauthorised use of his music for a new ballet. The ‘all-Russian premiere’ of Wuthering Heights is being staged by the Sevastopol State Opera and Ballet Theatre in Russian-occupied Crimea and is due to be performed on 29 and 30 July 2024.

‘No permission for the use of my music in the ballet or the use of my name in the advertising and promotion of the ballet was ever requested of me or given by me,’ writes Glass. ‘The use of my music and the use of my name without my consent is in violation of The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works to which the Russian Federation is a signatory. It is an act of piracy.’

He continues by saying that current circumstances in occupied Crimea leave him powerless to prohibit the piracy from taking place, ‘But I shall make my vehement objection to it known should you proceed’. He signs off with the words ‘Be guided accordingly’.

Based on Emily Bronte’s classical novel, Wuthering Heights has been choreographed by British dancer and choreographer Jonah Cook. It features the pro-Putin dancer Sergei Polunin in the leading role of Heathcliffe and Ksenia Rzyhkova as Cathy. The score, arranged by Russian composer and pianist Tatyana Shatkovskaya, also includes music by Icelandic composer Hildur Gudnadottir.