Latest news with #Gergiev
Al-Ahram Weekly
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Italy cancels concert by pro-Putin conductor Gergiev - Music - Arts & Culture
Italy's Royal Palace of Caserta announced on Monday it had cancelled a concert by Russian maestro Valery Gergiev -- a vocal backer of President Vladimir Putin -- after an uproar from politicians and Kremlin critics. Related Management drops conductor Valery Gergiev over Putin ties The concert scheduled for Sunday in the 18th century palace near Naples caused a heated debate in Italy, was slammed by Ukraine and had led to calls for protests by Russia's exiled opposition. Gergiev has not condemned Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, a stance for which he was fired from the Munich Philharmonic in March 2022. He has since been shunned by the West and has not played concerts in Europe. Days of uncertainty over the concert ended with the abrupt announcement. "The directorate of the Royal Palace of Caserta has ordered the cancellation of the symphony concert conducted by Valery Gergiev, scheduled as part of the Un'Estate da Re festival for July 27," said a Caserta palace statement. It gave no official reason for the decision. Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, lauded the announcement as "good news." "No artist who supports the current dictatorship in Russia should be welcomed in Europe," Navalnaya said on X. "And if Gergiev loves the dictator and murderer so much, let him conduct personally for him," she added. Navalnaya's team had campaigned against the concert and said in a statement: "Putin's pals should not be touring Europe like nothing happened." Russia's state TASS news agency said the 72-year-old maestro was not informed of the decision, quoting Gergiev as saying: "I do not have this information." Gergiev -- who is believed to have personal ties with Putin -- is the director of Russia's Bolshoi and Mariinsky theatres and before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine regularly played in leading Western theatres. - 'Common sense' - While Kremlin critics lauded the cancellation, Moscow's ambassador to Italy called it a "scandalous situation" that was part of Western politicians' "policy of 'cancelling' Russian culture". In a statement on the embassy's Facebook page, Paramonov said it was "sad" to watch Italy "subordinate its cultural policy to the demands of Ukrainians and other immigrants". Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli -- who had warned that the concert risked turning into a propaganda event -- said the cancellation was "common sense" and aimed at "protecting the values of the free world". Ukraine on Sunday urged organisers to drop the performance, calling Gergiev "Putin's mouthpiece" who should not be welcomed anywhere "as long as Russian forces continue to commit atrocities" in the country. Recognised as one of the world's leading orchestra leaders, Gergiev is known for conducting epic symphonies of Russian classical music by Piotr Tchaikovsky, amongst other successes in Western opera houses. For decades, he has been one of the most vocal supporters of Putin's rule. He famously played a 2016 concert in the ruins of Syria's Palmyra after its capture by Russian-backed Syrian forces. He also conducted a triumphant concert in Georgia's Tskhinvali region after a Russian invasion in 2008, close to a detention centre where Georgian civilians were being held. The conductor has stayed silent on the Ukraine invasion and mostly out of the public eye since 2022, but has played concerts in Asia. Russia's cultural figures have been divided since the Ukraine invasion -- with many supporting the Kremlin while others have gone into exile to denounce the military offensive. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Straits Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Italy cancels concert with pro-Putin conductor Valery Gergiev
Find out what's new on ST website and app. A demonstrator at a July 19 protest in Milan, Italy, against the now cancelled performance by Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, who is said to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. ROME - Italian authorities have cancelled a classical concert scheduled for July 27 following criticism over the attendance of a top Russian conductor shunned in the West since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Mr Valery Gergiev, who is widely regarded as close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, had been expected to lead an Italian orchestra and soloists from St Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre, which he heads, on July 27. The Reggia di Caserta, a grand 18th-century palace near Naples which had been due to host the concert, said in a short statement on July 21 that the event had been called off. It gave no reason. The performance had drawn criticism last week from Italian politicians and international activists, including the wife of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who called Mr Gergiev an 'accomplice' of Mr Putin. The cancellation is 'good news. Not joyful, but good. No artist who supports the current dictatorship in Russia should be welcomed in Europe,' Ms Yulia Navalnaya wrote on X. Mr Gergiev, 72, received 'no information' about the cancellation, Russian state-run news agency Tass quoted him as saying. The conductor did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters. The Russian ambassador to Italy, Mr Alexei Paramonov, lamented on Facebook that Italy had caved in to the pro-Ukraine 'lobby', adding: 'Those who think that the cancellation of Gergiev's concert will harm Russia are deeply mistaken.' 'Common sense' The concert was part of a festival organised by the Campania region, which includes Naples. Regional leader Vincenzo De Luca had defended it, saying artists should not be held responsible for the actions of their national governments. Mr De Luca, a critic of Israel's military campaign in Gaza, had also pointed to a festival concert led by Israeli conductor Daniel Oren, to highlight efforts to keep 'channels of communication open even with those who do not think like us'. Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, who last week said the concert risked turning into 'a sounding board for Russian propaganda', welcomed the organisers' 'free and undisputable' decision to call it off. 'While respecting the exceptional artistic quality of the event, the cancellation... obeys a logic of common sense and moral commitment aimed at protecting the values of the free world,' Mr Giuli said. In 2022, several Western cultural institutions, including Milan's La Scala, the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and New York's Carnegie Hall severed ties with Mr Gergiev over his refusal to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. REUTERS
Euronews
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Italy disinvites pro-Putin classical conductor from Caserta concert
An Italian classical music concert has uninvited a famous Russian conductor who's known to be a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Valery Gergiev was meant to participate in A King's Summer festival (Un'Estate da Re) on 27 July that's organised by the Royal Palace of Caserta and held in the courtyard of the Vanvitellian Complex, close to Naples in southern Italy. However, his inclusion in the event had been fiercely criticised by Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny who died in a Russian Arctic penal colony in 2021. "This is good news. No artist who supports the current dictatorship in Russia should be welcome in Europe. It is precisely thanks to regime supporters like Gergiev that Putin tries to promote his image as a 'decent person' in the West," Navalnaya wrote on X commenting on the cancellation of the concert. "The free and unquestionable choice taken by the Directorate of the Reggia di Caserta has my full and convinced support," commented Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, who had already intervened on the issue, distancing himself from the decision to invite Gergiev to the festival and siding with those who described the concert as a boost to Russian propaganda. 'While respect is due to the exceptional artistic quality of the event, the cancellation of the concert conducted by Maestro Gergiev obeys a logic of common sense and moral tension aimed at protecting the values of the free world,' the ministry's note reads. Euro Chamber vice-president Pina Picierno, among the first voices to rise against Gergiev's hosting in Italy, expressed satisfaction on X: 'We explained, we fought, we believed and we won! Thanks to all of you, Campania will not host an ambassador of Putin. For those who want to, we will see you on Sunday evening with the flags of Europe, in front of the Reggia, to celebrate the strength and beauty of democracy'. The Christian Association of Ukrainians in Italy also rejoiced. "This is a victory of common sense and human and Christian values over the Kremlin's criminal policy. It is a small victory, but it is another step towards the common victory of good over evil,' wrote association president Oles Horodetskyy. The association was ready to organise protest initiatives and had already bought tickets for the first rows of the concert to make its dissent felt by Gergiev. There has been no comment from Campania's governor Vincenzo De Luca, who had described the affair as 'disconcerting', wondering where 'the limit between freedom of expression of one's opinion and propaganda' was and emphasising his desire to confirm the concert despite international appeals. Several Nobel Prize winners had even spoken out against the Russian maestro's participation, with letters sent to European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, Italian authorities and de Luca himself. An online petition had garnered more than 16,000 signatures. Romanovsky's case in Bologna Meanwhile, media attention is rapidly shifting to a similar case involving authorities in Bologna.** The city is preparing to host the Ukrainian pianist and naturalised Italian Alexander Romanovsky as part of the CUBO summer festival,* that's financed by Unipol. Romanovsky became famous for having played for the (Russian) cameras on the rubble of the Mariupol theatre, which Moscow forces had bombed in the first weeks of the invasion of Ukraine, killing hundreds of civilians who had taken refuge there. Italian journalist Marco Setaccioli has led much of the criticism demanding the cancellation of the 5 August event, citing Romanovsky's appearances on pro-government Russian channels as evidence of his 'willingness to lend himself to the Kremlin's propaganda machine.' In January 2024, La Sapienza University in Rome called off one of Romanovsky's concerts in response to anger from pro-Ukraine activists and their supporters.
eNCA
a day ago
- Entertainment
- eNCA
Italy concert of pro-Putin conductor Gergiev cancelled
Italy's Royal Palace of Caserta announced on Monday that it was cancelling a weekend concert of pro-Kremlin maestro Valery Gergiev -- a vocal supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin -- after an uproar from politicians and Kremlin critics. Gergiev has not condemned Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, a stance for which he was fired from the Munich Philharmonic in March 2022. He has not played a concert in Europe since. The scheduled concert in the 18th century palace near Naples -- now a museum -- had caused a heated debate in Italy, with Ukraine condemning the move and Russia's exiled opposition calling for protests. Days of uncertainty over whether the concert would take place ended with an abrupt cancellation. "The Directorate of the Royal Palace of Caserta has ordered the cancellation of the symphony concert conducted by Valery Gergiev, scheduled as part of the Un'Estate da Re festival for July 27," the palace said in a brief statement. It gave no official reason for the cancellation. The team of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny welcomed the cancellation on social media with a "Hurrah!". "Putin's pals should not be touring around Europe like nothing happened," they said in a statement. Moscow's ambassador to Italy, Alexei Paramonov, however, slammed the move as a "scandalous situation". In a statement on the Russian embassy's Facebook account, Paramonov railed against Western politicians' "policy of 'cancelling' Russian culture". He also said it was "sad" to watch Italy "subordinate its cultural policy to the demands of Ukrainians and other immigrants". Russia's state TASS news agency said Gergiev was not informed about the decision, quoting the conductor as saying: "I do not have this information." - 'Common sense' - Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli -- who had earlier warned that the concert risked turning into a propaganda event -- said the cancellation was "common sense" and aimed at "protecting the values of the free world". The 72-year-old Gergiev -- recognised as one of the world's leading conductors -- is known for conducting epic symphonies of Russian classical music by Piotr Tchaikovsky, amongst other successes in Western opera houses. For decades, he has been one of the most vocal supporters of Putin's long rule. He famously played a 2016 concert in the ruins of Syria's Palmyra after its capture by Russian-backed Syrian forces. He also conducted a triumphant concert in Georgia's Tskhinvali region after the Russian invasion in 2008, just a few metres from a detention centre where Georgian civilians were being held. Gergiev also supported the Kremlin's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula. The conductor has stayed silent on the Ukraine invasion and mostly out of the public eye since 2022, but has played concerts in Asia. He is believed to have personal ties with Putin. In 2023, Putin named him as the director of Moscow's historic Bolshoi Theatre, while he was already heading Saint Petersburg's Mariinsky theatre. Russia's cultural figures have been divided since the Ukraine invasion -- with many supporting the Kremlin while others have gone into exile to denounce the military offensive. By Ola Cichowlas
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
A concert in Italy by Russian conductor Gergiev is canceled after protests
ROME (AP) — A concert by Russian conductor Valery Gergiev has been canceled, organizers in Italy announced Monday, following protests against giving the stage to the conductor who has been largely barred from European venues for failing to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Gergiev had been invited to conduct during a summer festival at the Royal Palace of Caserta near Naples next Sunday. The regional governor, Vincenzo de Luca, had defended the invitation, saying that 'the logic of preclusion … does not help peace.'' The invitation had been widely criticized by human rights activists, Russian opposition figures and European parliamentarians. Milan's La Scala was the first theater in the West to cut off relations with Gergiev, who was engaged at the theater when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, after he failed to respond to Milan Mayor Giuseppe Sala's appeal to speak out against the war.
