Latest news with #MunichPhilharmonic
Express Tribune
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Italian festival drops Putin-aligned conductor
Gergiev is recognised as one of the world's leading conductors. Photo: File 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, reports AFP. 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.
Bangkok Post
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Bangkok Post
A night of titans
Decidedly heroic music was the order of the day earlier this month at the Thailand Cultural Centre as the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra marked the auspicious occasion of Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Krom Phra Srisavangavadhana's birthday. There is arguably no symphony mightier than Beethoven's third, the Eroica, and this most fitting choice of programming welcomed a fresh new maestro to the RBSO podium -- charismatic Polish conductor Slawomir Grenda, who has also been principal bassist of the great Munich Philharmonic since 1996. Balanced in the first half by an exceptionally impressive showcase of two of Thailand's master musicians, pianist Jayanat Wisaijorn and double bassist Nattawut Sungkasaro performed Rachmaninoff's famous Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini and a slightly lesser known treat -- the Double Bass Concerto In F-sharp Minor by Serge Koussevitsky. That composer premiered this challenging staple of the bass repertoire himself in 1905, and it is notable for the raised scordatura tuning by a whole tone, with the extra tension facilitating projection in venues as large as the Thailand Cultural Centre. Of all his phenomenal piano creations, Rachmaninoff's iconic Paganini Rhapsody is perhaps captures the imagination more than any other and Jayanat's superlative rendition of it certainly reaffirmed this perception, as it thrilled an enthusiastically engaged audience. He possesses a consummate mastery at the keyboard, which is the result of arduous studies with the great virtuoso and pedagogue Emile Naoumoff -- the last disciple of none other than the legendary Nadia Boulanger. An alumnus of the prestigious Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, Jayanat has the rounded personality of an exceptional artist who can certainly hold his own on the international stage. This warhorse is one of those perennial favourites which never becomes any easier for soloists or indeed an orchestra and conductor -- the score is as filigree as it is multifaceted and the 24 variations demand intense levels of concentration and focus. Indeed, Rachmaninoff himself acknowledged having occasional problems with some of the variations of his own spectacular masterpiece, despite famously having perhaps the largest hand-span of any pianist in history. However, from the word go Jayanat assumed absolute control of the knotty material, reassuring the attentive patrons that a musically profound and technically assured interpretation was just about to unfold, and indeed it did. The theme and 24 variations are of course based on Paganini's instantly recognisable 24th Caprice In A Minor for solo violin, and the combined violin sections introduced the legendary 1st position theme neatly and without fuss, setting on their course variations 1-10, which effectively constitute an extended 1st section. Grenda kept the soloist and RBSO rhythmically tight in expert fashion, attentive to all details in the score with all orchestral interjections precise and clear, whilst Jayanat himself was note-perfect. Delicate pianistic touch is the essence of the next, much slower and reflective eight variations, which as a group constitute the 2nd section of the piece. Variation 18, of course, is one of those irresistible melodies which, when heard, strikes one as surely among the most iconic in all music history. A slowed-down melodic inversion of the Paganini theme, both soloist and orchestra were obviously full of emotion at this crucial moment. Variations 19-24 correspondingly constitute what can be thought of as the finale of this work, increasingly frenetic and furiously active as the masterpiece builds to its almighty statement of the "Dies Irae" -- an entertaining demonic nod to the devilish Paganini himself! RBSO double bass principal Nattawut Sungkasaro is a genuinely incredible young virtuoso of his instrument, and as a highly privileged beneficiary of a Princess Sirivannavari Cultivated Arts Foundation Scholarship has received the best education at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. One of his many esteemed tutors is Slawomir Grenda himself -- hence their pairing in this programme -- and their partnership produced a beautifully etched interpretation. Nattawut's awe-inspiring technical facility is married to the deepest levels of musicality and the RBSO is most fortunate to count him among their ranks. Also, Claudio Abbado's hand-picked choice as principal bassist for the top-notch Lucerne Festival Orchestra since 2006, Grenda like his Thai disciple is a formidable musical personality. Returning to the podium after the interval to conduct the Eroica from memory (like Karajan and indeed Abbado, without the need for stand or score) he certainly brought many of those familiar tropes from the Central European tradition to his energetic interpretation. This was a powerful and gripping performance from first to last, with some delightful touches of subtlety. For example, amid the predominance of thick, heavy textures and long sustained fortissimos, near the start of the Finale, it was perfectly charming to hear as a counterbalance that brief string quartet variation as stipulated by the genius creator himself.
Al Jazeera
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Jazeera
Italy cancels concert by Putin ally Gergiev
Italy's Royal Palace of Caserta has announced it cancelled a concert by Russian maestro Valery Gergiev, a vocal backer of President Vladimir Putin, after an uproar from politicians and Kremlin critics. The concert scheduled for Sunday in the 18th-century palace near Naples caused a heated debate in Italy, was slammed by Ukraine and 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 on Monday. '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 Alexey Navalny, lauded the announcement as 'good news'. 'No artist who supports the current dictatorship in Russia should be welcomed in Europe,' Navalnaya wrote on X. 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.' 'Scandalous situation' Gergiev is the director of Russia's Bolshoi and Mariinsky theatres, and before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, he regularly played in leading Western theatres. 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, Alexei 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 Ukraine. Recognised as one of the world's leading orchestra leaders, Gergiev is known for conducting epic symphonies of Russian classical music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, among other successes in Western opera houses. The conductor has stayed silent on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and mostly out of the public eye since 2022, but has played concerts in Asia.
Al-Ahram Weekly
21-07-2025
- 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:
eNCA
21-07-2025
- 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
