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The play ´De tre musketörerna´ is threathened by legal actions. Photo: Petra Hellberg

Stockholm City Theatre accused of copyright infringement

Culture | 2009-08-29
Record company Universal was able to stop the Latvian guest performance ‘The sound of silence’ at Stockholm City Theatre and now threatens with legal action in order to stop the success play “De tre musketörerna” (The three musketeers).

The record company claims that the theatre do not have the right to use the music of, among else, Simon & Garfunkel, Prince and Kiss. But Stockholm City Theatre asserts that their use follows the contract with the Swedish Performing Rights Society (STIM).

But STIM sides with Universal and refuses to receive the payments for the play.

According to them is the main question if the music is so important for the play that it could be said to be vital for the story-line. If this is the case then it is a musical and the contract with STIM is not valid, instead all music rights must be bought from the publishers directly.

But the contract between STIM and the theatre trade organization Swedish Performing Arts does not mention this definition of how a musical is different from an ordinary theatre play. The chairman of Swedish Performing Arts, Sture Carlsson, therefore claims the action of STIM to be a breach of contract.

”They want to reinterpret our contract in a new way. If they feel that the contract should be rewritten then they must raise the issue with the counter part”, he says to daily Svenska Dagbladet.

Susanne Bodin, director of communication at STIM, reckons that it must be the copyright holder to have the interpretive prerogative when there is doubt.

“The contract allows music as an intermission or as a temporary filler. But the play concerned use a lot music, and the music creators thus must have their say.

The Nordic director for Universal Music Publishing, Martin Ingeström, says that Stockholm City Theatre made wrong from the beginning when not asking the publishers and now tries to save their own face.

“Normally there isn’t any problems in cases like this, theatres almost always get in touch before they set up a play”, he says.

If and when their will be any legal action depend upon the copyright holders, according to Ingeström.

Swedish Performing Arts is afraid that the artistic creativity will be restrained in the aftermath of this conflict.

“I get the feeling that there is an interest to make an example out of this here in Sweden”, Sture Carlsson says.

Benny Fredriksson, CEO at Stockholm City Thearte, fear that his theatre have become hostage in a international game.

“Maybe its because there is a general impression that copyright is questioned today. Instead of moving forward you retreat and becomes more strict than ever before. Everything that can be blocked must be blocked. Copyright has become a commodity”, Fredriksson says.

But Universal denies there to be any directives from the U.S. about a stricter stance.

“We would be happy if we don’t have to stop the play, we only do it if we are forced, says Martin Ingeström.

David Jonasson
david.jonasson@stockholmnews.com

 
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