Klinghoffer's Back: Opera Sparks Fresh Debate on Victims and Terror

John Adams's The Death of Klinghoffer, the controversial opera about the hijacking of a cruise ship and the murder of Leon Klinghoffer, returns to the Florence stage under Luca Guadagnino; debates continue over whether it humanizes victims or villains, with past critics like Taruskin condemning it, while supporters argue it exposes the unseen, and the author—having seen it in London—remains unconvinced by both sides and invites readers to share their views.