2023-10-16 18:46:00
“The two things are distinct: Moni Ovadia’s statement is that of a free person in a free country. He fell into a deception whereby it was considered that he expressed his opinion in an institutional function, that of theater director of Ferrara, but in reality this is not the case and this has not compromised the theatre”. Undersecretary of Culture Vittorio Sgarbi told time.news, commenting on the announcement of Moni Ovadia’s resignation as general director of the Teatro Comunale of Ferrara.
The background: “Here are Ovadia’s real motivations”
“I maintain the distinction by saying that he shouldn’t have made that statement, but I defend him by asking the mayor to refuse his resignation”, underlines Sgarbi. Which reveals to time.news a background which according to the undersecretary would explain the real reasons for Ovadia’s resignation, decided at the last minute yesterday evening. “The feeling arose that the Ferrara city council, being everything against him, from the Democratic Party to Fratelli d’Italia, and lastly also Italia Viva, could reject the request for funds for the theatre. So he resigned to prevent the theater from having a funding limit through its own fault”, explains the Undersecretary for Culture. He reiterates: “I therefore ask the mayor to reject his resignation.”
“Resignation defeated for democracy”
Because, Sgarbi further observes, “Moni Ovadia’s resignation from the Teatro Comunale of Ferrara, where he has the role of general director, is a defeat for democracy and freedom of thought. Cultural activity, even for those who represent an important institution, cannot be subordinated to a political position. The theater of Ferrara has achieved, with the management of Ovadia, excellent results and has never been the stage for the political activities of its director who, although considering the opportunity of not exhibiting his role for the theater to criticism for his thoughts, he cannot be forced to silence outside of his functions and no one can understand this better than me”.
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