American composer accuses Russian theater of piracy

US composer Philip Glass has accused a theater in Crimea of illegally using his music to stage a ballet
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Philip Glass has claimed that his music is being used for a ballet in Crimea without his consent

American composer Philip Glass has accused the Sevastopol Opera and Ballet Theater in Russia’s Crimea of “piracy” over the use of his music in a new ballet, called ‘Wuthering Heights,’ based on the novel of the same name by Emily Bronte.

The 87-year-old composer is known for his movie soundtracks, including for ‘The Truman Show’ and Martin Scorsese’s ‘Kundun,’ and has won three Golden Globe awards.

According to Glass, who posted his allegations on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, the ballet production, which is set to premiere on July 29, features his music while his name is used in its advertising campaign, both without the composer’s express permission.

“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. The use of my music and the use of my name without my consent... is an act of piracy,” Glass stated, warning that he will make his “vehement objection to it known” should the theater proceed with the premiere.

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The Sevastopol theatre on Friday denied Glass’ allegations, stressing that it “operates within the framework of Russian legislation” on copyright and intellectual property, and “does not allow illegal use of copyrights.”

The ballet’s main choreographer, British dancer Jonah Cook, earlier told local media that his production, like many modern-day ballets, makes use of a variety of different musical compositions. These include string music by Philip Glass and Icelandic composer Hildur Guthnadottir, works by British musician Damon Albarn and Russian composer Tatyana Shatkovskaya, as well as some themes from traditional Irish music.

Many modern-day dance companies mix music for their productions, and need to obtain a license to use a composition for performance. Under Russian law, a contract for the use of music can be signed directly with the composer or with an entity that collectively manages copyrights, such as the Russian Authors’ Society (RAO). This organization acts as an intermediary between intellectual property owners and performance companies, and ensures that artists are compensated for the use of their works.

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According to the RAO’s website, it represents over 26,000 Russian and 2 million foreign artists and copyright holders. Glass has long been registered with the RAO, and a number of his works are listed on its website.