THE CRISIS OF CULTURE AND THE CULTURE OF CRISIS |
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Authors: | Sarah Zalfen |
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Institution: | Free University Berlin , Jonasstrasse 5, 10551 Berlin, Germany Phone: +49 (0)30 3987 9889 E-mail: Sarah.Zalfen@gmx.de |
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Abstract: | “Crisis” in cultural policy is a widespread phenomenon, whose meaning can be exemplified in case of opera. The Berlin, Paris and London opera houses hit a crisis at the end of the twentieth century. At the core of these crises and the discussions surrounding them were funding problems – which were also a point of academic interest. But beyond that, opera seemed to be an arena of discourse where creeping conflicts in the political system and society were debated as fundamental crises of a most cherished cultural heritage. This paper examines how, in these cases, “crisis” proves to be a cultural phenomenon in itself, displaying a symbolic and functional character rather than being defined by references to specific matters and qualities. |
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Keywords: | opera crisis theory cultural policy in capital cities constructionist approach |
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