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Valeri Gergiev: Not allowed to perform in New York's Carnegie Hall as planned
Photo: Artyom Geodakyan / ITAR-TASS / IMAGO
Russia's attack on Ukraine has also shaken the world of culture.
On Friday, Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) threatened the chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic and Putin friend Valeri Gergiev with being thrown out.
Meanwhile, many cultural figures are expressing their shock at the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"I made my position clear to Valeri Gergiev and asked him to also clearly and unequivocally distance himself from the brutal war of aggression that Putin is waging against Ukraine and now especially against our twin city of Kiev," said Reiter, according to a statement on Friday in Munich .
"If Valeri Gergiev has not clearly positioned himself here by Monday, he can no longer remain chief conductor of our Philharmonic."
The 68-year-old Gergiev has been chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic, a city orchestra, since 2015.
His friendship with Putin has long been a latent image problem for the man from the Caucasus.
When it became known in March 2014 that he and other Russian artists had supported the annexation of Crimea in an open letter, there were protests.
But that never really seemed to hurt his career.
He is one of the most famous conductors, a busy man.
In addition to directing the Russian prestigious Mariinsky Theatre, which he has held for decades, he regularly conducts some of the largest and most well-known orchestras in the world.
Now, however, he might have a hard time in the West without distancing himself from his powerful friend in Moscow.
For example, the Putin-friendly star conductor will not appear as planned with the Vienna Philharmonic in New York's Carnegie Hall - "due to recent events in the world," as the organizers announced.
However, the Vienna Philharmonic board member Daniel Froschauer emphasized the decades-long connection between his ensemble and Gergiev and said: »Culture must not become a pawn in political disputes«.
According to media reports, the Scala Gergiev in Milan also issued a similar ultimatum as Reiter in Munich.
"Together with the orchestra representatives of the Munich Philharmonic, I now expect you, as chief conductor of the orchestra, to give a clear sign of distancing yourself from the attacks against the Ukraine that violate international law," Reiter wrote to Gergiev.
"And with that a clear signal to the city leaders, the public, the musicians of the Munich Philharmonic and their audience until Monday, February 28th.
Otherwise we will have to end the contractual relationship as chief conductor.«
ime/dpa
