Composer Philip Glass protests “act of piracy” by theater in Russian-occupied Crimea

American composer Philip Glass has accused the Sevastopol Opera and Ballet Theater in Russian-annexed Crimea of using his music in the ballet “Wuthering Heights” without permission. He addressed the issue in an open letter posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) on July 25.

The theater’s management appears not only to have used his music without permission, but also advertised the production by using Glass’s name. Glass condemned this as an “act of piracy” and accused the theater of violating the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.

The composer noted that he was “well aware that the current circumstances in occupied Crimea leave [him] powerless to assert [his] right under international law to prohibit this act of piracy.”

He added: “I shall make my vehement objection to it known should you proceed.”