American composer Philip Glass accused the Sevastopol Opera and Ballet Theater in annexed Crimea of music piracy. Hepublished an open letter to the theater on the social network X, in which he claims that his music is illegally used in the Wuthering Heights ballet.

Glass writes that he did not give the theater permission to use his music or his name. He emphasizes that using music without permission violates the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, which governs copyright issues. Russia, which annexed Sevastopol in 2014, signed this convention.

“I am well aware that in the current situation in occupied Crimea, I am powerless to protect my rights in accordance with international law and stop piracy,” Glass admits. “But I will express my extreme indignation.”

The premiere of the ballet "Wuthering Heights" at the Sevastopol Opera and Ballet Theater is scheduled for July 29 and 30 this year. The composer-arranger of the ballet is Tatyana Shatkovskaya, and the authors of the music, in addition to herself, include Philip Glass, the famous Icelandic composer Gudrun Gudnadouttir, “and others.”

Philip Glass is one of the most famous living American composers. In addition to academic works that greatly influenced the music scene in the second half of the 20th century, Glass composed scores for more than 50 films. He is a three-time Oscar nominee, a Golden Globe and BAFTA Award winner, a recipient of the US National Medal of Arts and a Chevalier of the French Order of Arts and Letters.

Radio Liberty news release:

Composer Philip Glass accused the Crimean theater of piracy