Tosca for Bad Boys

Betrayal and murder are the spice of Puccini's opera "Tosca," but a university in America used the opera this week (April 13) to lift the standards of misbehaved students. Those who get caught with minor misdemeanors at the Eastern Connecticut State University can choose an evening at the opera as one of several ways to do community service. The idea was introduced by an Associate Dean who is an opera fan himself. At the same time, he believes that most bad boys have never seen an opera house from inside, so they might be rather apprehensive about their first visit. However, he thinks the experience can have many positive effects on the sinners once they get over their fear. The new disciplinary measure met with some skepticism when it was first tried out last fall, but now it is gaining in popularity, as Georg Hirsch reports.

[ Home - English ] [ Home - Deutsch ]