BENNETT, Colo. – Some parents in this prairie town are angry with an elementary school music teacher for showing pupils a video about the opera “Faust,” whose title character sells his soul to the devil in exchange for being young again…
Tresa Waggoner showed approximately 250 first-, second- and third-graders at Bennett Elementary portions of a 33-year-old series titled “Who’s Afraid of Opera” a few weeks ago.
The video features the soprano Dame Joan Sutherland and three puppet friends discussing Gounod’s “Faust.” Waggoner thought it would be a good introduction to opera.
I wonder how many of those kids get to watch MTV or the Fox network after 8pm? Could that be any worse than Joan Sutherland and puppet friends talking about opera?
The Coup de grâce:
Another parent, Casey Goodwin, said, “I think it glorifies Satan in some way.”
I agree that Joan Sutherland talking to puppet friends might be a little disturbing. See below:
But glorifies Satan? That’s nuts.
The teacher gets a jab in at the end of the article:
“I was definitely not sensitive to the conservative nature of the community, and I’ve learned that,” Waggoner said in Sunday’s editions of The Denver Post. “However, from what has been said about me, that I’m a Satan worshipper, my character, I can’t believe all of this. My intention was just to expose the kids to opera.”
Get it? Having a conservative nature means you are a nasty reactionary.
For those of you who are now curious about the Faust story, here’s a synopsis of the opera if you want to draw your own conclusions.
Well, I dunno, John. It does say “Kultur” on the label, and that is kinda scary.
Opera is fer homos.
I would only be upset if she did not include Rigoletto over Faust. Verdi is so much better than Gou. . .no actually everybody else.
But woman, you are fickle like a feather in the breeze, and change your mind at the drop of a hat.
That was good Courageman. By the way, I checked out your blog and it was interesting, sincere and well written.