Every second respondent was insulted by the Novosibirsk interpretation of Wagner`s Tannhauser; every third was not.
MOSCOW, April 13, 2015. Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) presents the results of the survey describing the Russian opinions concerning the interpretation of Tannhauser in the Novosibirsk Opera.
Tannhauser case (priests applied to prosecutor`s office stating that the production insults the feelings of believers) did not draw a wide response. At the time of survey, 38% of Russians were aware of the case, including 10% of those who knew any detail and 28% of those who were generally informed. Those who are most informed are residents of Moscow amd St.Petersburg (48%), retired persons (49% of persons older than 60) and those who have high financial income (49%). More than half of respondents (59%) did not hear anything about this story.
The Novosibirsk interpretation portraying Jesus in a non-traditional way was perceived ambiguously by Russians. Every third (31%) calls it blasphemy and sacrilege (retired persons and believers rather than young persons and non-believers); every tenth (12%) treats it as hooliganism and crime. One-quarter of respondents (24%) view this case as self-promotion or an attempt to become famous. Only 14% perceive the Kulyabin`s interpretation of the Tannhauser as a piece of modern art or self-realization (24% of those who are aged 18-24).
Jesus was portrayed as a human who lived a sinful life in his young years and enjoyed sensual pleasures. This image is offensive for half of respondents (47%); they are mainly Orthodox believers (53%) and those who were not very well aware of the Tannhauser case (58%), rather than non-believers (19%) and those who did not hear about this story (45%). At the same time, 31% of respondents were not offended by this production.
The survey was conducted on April 4-5, 2015; 1600 respondents were interviewed in 132 communities in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.5%.
One of the Russian Orthodox Church priests sent a complaint to the prosecutor`s office stating the production of the Tannhauser opera in the Novosibirsk Opera theatre offends the feelings of religious believers. Do you know/have you heard/do you hear for the first time about that? (closed-ended question, one answer) | |||||||
| Total respondents | Moscow and St.Petersburg | Million cities | More than 500 ths | 100–500 ths | Less than 100 ths | Rural area |
I am well aware of that | 10 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 6 |
I know something but I do not know any details | 28 | 39 | 30 | 23 | 28 | 26 | 25 |
I have just found out about that | 59 | 49 | 57 | 63 | 56 | 60 | 63 |
Don`t know | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
One of the Russian Orthodox Church priests sent a complaint to the prosecutor`s office stating the production of the Tannhauser opera in the Novosibirsk Opera theatre offends the feelings of religious believers. Do you know/have you heard/do you hear for the first time about that? (closed-ended question, one answer) | |||||
| Total respondents | Elementary (incomplete secondary) education | Secondary education (school, vocational school) | Specialized secondary education (technical school) | Incomplete higher (not less than three years in a higher education institute), higher education |
I am well aware of that | 10 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 15 |
I know something but I do not know any details | 28 | 22 | 21 | 33 | 27 |
I have just found out about that | 59 | 64 | 68 | 55 | 55 |
Don`t know | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
In the modern staging of Wagner`s Tannhauser a Novosibirsk director portrayed Jesus as a man who lived a sinful life and enjoyed sensual pleasures. The public perceived the Novosibirsk interpretation ambiguously. Some perceived it as an insult of the feelings of believers, others – as a piece of modern art. Which of these perceptions is closer to yours? (closed-ended question, one answer) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and more |
Blasphemy, humiliation of relics | 31 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 33 | 38 |
Self-promotion, attempt to become famous, to attract attention | 24 | 24 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 18 |
Contemporary art, performance, artistic production | 14 | 24 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 8 |
Hooliganism, crime | 12 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 16 |
Other | 1 | 1 | <1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Don`t know | 18 | 16 | 21 | 20 | 15 | 18 |
In the modern staging of Wagner`s Tannhauser a Novosibirsk director portrayed Jesus as a man who lived a sinful life and enjoyed sensual pleasures. The public perceived the Novosibirsk interpretation ambiguously. Some perceived it as an insult of the feelings of believers, others – as a piece of modern art. Which of these perceptions is closer to yours? (closed-ended question, one answer) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Low income | Income below average | Average income | Income above average | High income |
Blasphemy, humiliation of relics | 31 | 27 | 33 | 33 | 37 | 26 |
Self-promotion, attempt to become famous, to attract attention | 24 | 18 | 24 | 24 | 27 | 27 |
Contemporary art, performance, artistic production | 14 | 21 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 17 |
Hooliganism, crime | 12 | 10 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 11 |
Other | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | <1 |
Don`t know | 18 | 22 | 16 | 19 | 12 | 18 |
Did the interpretation of Jesus offend you? (closed-ended question, one answer) | ||||
| Total respondents | Orthodox Christian followers | Followers of other religions | Non-believers, hesitating between faith and unbelief |
Rather yes | 47 | 53 | 44 | 19 |
Rather not | 31 | 28 | 26 | 46 |
Don`t know | 22 | 19 | 29 | 36 |
Did the interpretation of Jesus offend you? (closed-ended question, one answer) | ||||
| Total respondents | Those who are well aware of that | Those who know something but without details | Those who have found out about that during the interview |
Rather yes | 47 | 58 | 49 | 45 |
Rather not | 31 | 29 | 34 | 30 |
Don`t know | 22 | 12 | 17 | 24 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!