Christian group tries to ban naked Joan of Arc oratorio

A Christian group is trying to prevent the La Monnaie opera house in Brussels from staging a production of Arthur Honegger’s oratorio “Joan of Arc at the Stake” in which the heroine appears dressed in men’s clothes and at one point naked.

The Pro Europa Christiana Federation wants the show by Italian director Romeo Castellucci canceled and has launched an online petition to gather support.

In a letter sent to La Monnaie director Peter de Caluwe and Belgian Culture Minister Didier Reynders, the association argues that the production is “obscene and hurting Christians.”

Caluwe, citing freedom of expression, says the show will go ahead as planned from Nov. 511.