Court Opinion

ID: 9723860
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 10:36:30.896884+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:52.910249
License: Public Domain

Wilkins, J.
(concurring, with whom Abrams, J., joins). I concur in the answers given to the questions as the Chief Justice’s opinion has construed them. I do not, however, as he does, regard the questions as clear and unequivocal. Indeed, his discussion of the meaning of the questions in the first numbered part of his opinion indicates that substantial constitutional questions may be explicitly, and surely are impliedly, involved in the questions. Perhaps the Court of Appeals intended to insulate us from consideration of constitutional issues. Certainly from the briefs filed with us it is clear that constitutional considerations, particularly the BSO’s rights of free *102speech, are thought to be seriously involved. Because the BSO’s constitutional right to free speech under art. 16 of the Massachusétts Declaration of Rights is present in this case, it may seem surprising to some that no question has been asked of us concerning the BSO’s State constitutional right to determine not to perform “Oedipus Rex.” Perhaps the Court of , Appeals has already concluded that, if the. nonconstitutional grounds indicated by its questions are not dispositive of Redgrave’s claim, First Amendment considerations will be and that, therefore, it need not ask us about analogous State constitutional considerations.
I have been unable to think of any theory under which, in the circumstances, statutory liability may properly be imposed on the BSO in the face of its State constitutional right to determine what artistic performances it will or will not perform. Redgrave’s constitutional rights are no greater than those of the BSO, and there was no way in which the interests of each could be accommodated. Cf. Batchelder v. Allied Stores Int'l, Inc., 388 Mass. 83, 92-93 (1983) (defendant’s property interest could be accommodated with the plaintiff’s constitutional right to gather signatures on nomination papers).