Keith Burstein News
July 15, 2008
Composer Keith Burstein declared bankruptcy after running up legal fees of £67,000. Burstein attempted to sue the London Evening Standard because of an unfavorable review of his opera Manifest Destiny (Soprano Bernadette Lord as Leila pictured left in a production photo).
Having read Veronica Lee's 142-word review from August 15, 2005 (it is in the PDF below), I did not get the impression that Burstein is terrorist sympathizer. It does not, however, sound like the opera was success. Compare this to the BBC review, which says the work "does not induce rousing emotion." The Telegraph commented that the "political message is banal and fatally one-sided." In all fairness, there were also some very positive reviews from EdinburghGuide.com and The British Theater Guide.
Official Keith Burstein Site | Official Production Site for Manifest Destiny | Burstein v Associated Newspapers [PDF] | Independent Article | Guardian UK Article