Munich, Rotterdam may fire Gergiev, London drops Bolshoi

[left-of-center2012]

Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter has threatened to remove Valery Gergiev as chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic unless Gergiev publicly says by Monday that he does not support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra also said it would drop the 68-year-old Russian’s planned festival there this September if he does not stop supporting Russia President Vladimir Putin.

Carnegie Hall said Friday it was canceling two performances in May of the Mariinsky Orchestra that were to be led by Gergiev. The institution cited “recent world events” and the pandemic, adding they would not reschedule the shows. The move comes a day after the Vienna Philharmonic dropped Gergiev as conductor in a five-concert U.S. tour that starts at Carnegie Hall on Friday.

Gergiev is close to Putin and supported Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. “I have made my position clear to Valery Gergiev and have asked him to clearly and unequivocally distance himself from the brutal invasion that Putin is waging against Ukraine and now in particular against our twin city, Kyiv,” Reiter said in a statement Thursday. “If Valery Gergiev does not take a clear stance by Monday, he can no longer remain chief conductor of our philharmonic.”

In addition, the Royal Opera House on Friday canceled a planned tour to London by Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet. The Mariinsky and Bolshoi are among Russia’s most renowned arts institutions. “A summer season of the Bolshoi Ballet at the Royal Opera House had been in the final stages of planning,” The Royal Opera said in a statement. “Unfortunately, under the current circumstances, the season cannot now go ahead.”

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-entertainment-music-new-york-1c44c56c6dc085acb28d0a4b20094945

[niyad]

1. . . .

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Those are bold and entirely appropriate stands for those companies to take...

And I applaud them for taking them!

Putin's War will disrupt many such occasions and it's appropriate that Russian companies should definitely feel that pain.

[HUAJIAO]

3. From one point of view this is a dangerous precedence to set, which I can understand,

but I, and most, not all, but most by far, of my acquaintances in the classical music field, think this situation makes it the right move.

And I have 2 friends in the Munich Philharmonic, and one in the Mariinsky orchestra.

[regnaD kciN]

4. About time that Pootie-Poot bootlicker had to, shall we say...

…face the music.

[orwell]

5. I see what you did there...

...bravo.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

6. He's gone

Famed conductor who is close friends with Putin was fired from his orchestra for not condemning Ukraine invasion

One of the world's most respected conductors was fired on Tuesday as cultural institutions recoiled in horror at Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Russian maestro Valery Gergiev was booted from his job as chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra after his bosses said he refused to condemn the war started by his personal friend Vladimir Putin.

It was the most striking in a series of setbacks for Gergiev, who has had concerts cancelled and been asked to resign from honorary positions throughout the classical music world.

Gergiev has long been a vocal supporter of Putin, a personal friend since the 1990s, but the connection became too much for his employers after the invasion.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/famed-conductor-who-is-close-friends-with-putin-was-fired-from-his-orchestra-for-not-condemning-ukraine-invasion/ar-AAUsASC