The Emperor Vespasian imposed a tax on the use of public urinals. His son Titus was disgusted. The association was unworthy and distasteful. Vespasian picked up a coin and sniffed it. “Non olet”, he said; this doesn’t stink. Long suffering Newcastle United fans, whose club has been bought by a consortium in which the Saudi Arabia’s Sovereign Wealth Fund has an 80 percent interest, are in Vespasian’s camp.
The success of the International Opera Awards is intellectual rigour
At the awards ceremony in Munich this year, a jury dug deep into the purpose of opera and its impact on society.Â