On Saturday night, he and the Berlin Staatskapelle orchestra completed the programme as promised at Jerusalem's international convention centre. But when Barenboim returned for a second encore, he surprised the audience by asking if they wanted to hear Wagner.
An emotional 30-minute debate among the audience followed, with some shouting "fascist" and "concentration camp music", and dozens walked out, banging doors as the music began.
But most stayed and Barenboim, 58, played a piece from Tristan and Isolde. He was reported to have been close to tears after receiving a standing ovation.
"I respect those for whom these associations are oppressive. It will be democratic to play a Wagner encore for those who wish to hear it. I am turning to you now and asking whether I can play Wagner?"
He said he did not want to offend anyone and that those who would find the music objectionable could leave.
The debate, carried out in Hebrew, was lost on almost all of the
orchestra. Holocaust survivors were in both camps. Michael Avraham, 67,
an engineer, said: "Wagner was a giant anti-semite but also a great
musician. I'm against his views, but not his music."
Ephraim Zuroff, director of the Israeli branch of the Nazi-hunting Simon Wiesenthal Centre, said: "We will urge all Israeli orchestras to boycott Daniel Barenboim."
In 1981, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra tried to play a piece from
Tristan and Isolde, but a Holocaust survivor jumped on to the stage,
opened his shirt and showed scars from a concentration camp. The
performance was abandoned.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/jul/09/ewenmacaskill