The Russian attack on Ukraine has serious repercussions for Russia’s star artists. In Munich, the city ended its collaboration with star conductor and Putin friend Valeri Gergiev as head of the Munich Philharmonic with immediate effect.
Gergiev has been unloaded from renowned houses and orchestras all over the world. Meanwhile, world-famous Russian opera diva Anna Netrebko canceled all concerts for the coming months.
Despite the request to “clearly and unequivocally distance oneself from the brutal war of aggression that Putin is waging against Ukraine and now especially against our twin city of Kyiv,” Gergiev did not comment, according to a statement from the city of Munich. Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) said: “I would have expected him to reconsider and revise his very positive assessment of the Russian ruler. He didn’t do that.” Reiter had given Gergiev an ultimatum on Friday.
No clear signal
“From now on there will be no further concerts by the Munich Philharmonic under his direction,” said Reiter. A clear signal would have been essential for further cooperation. “After this has not happened, the only thing that remains is an immediate separation.” Gergiev’s contract would actually run until July 2025.
Since 2015, Gergiev has been chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic, an orchestra of the city of Munich. His friendship with the Russian ruler Putin has brought him criticism for years. In 2014, he signed an artist’s appeal for Russia’s annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, thereby officially supporting Putin’s policies.
Anna Netrebko cancels concerts
Meanwhile, opera star Anna Netrebko (50) canceled her next appearances. “After careful consideration, I have made the extremely difficult decision to withdraw from concert life for the time being,” the star soprano announced through the promoter River Concerts.
“It’s not the right time for me to perform and play music. I hope my audience will understand this decision,” the statement continued. The concert with her husband Yusif Eyvazov planned for March 2nd in Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie will be postponed to September 7th.
At the weekend, Netrebko commented on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She is against this war, the singer wrote in a statement on Instagram. “I am Russian and I love my country, but I have many friends in Ukraine and the pain and suffering breaks my heart. I want this war to stop and people can live in peace. That’s what I hope for and that’s what I’m praying for.” At the same time, Netrebko emphasized that she was “not a political person”. Last year the soprano, who also lives in Vienna, celebrated her 50th birthday with a big gala in the Kremlin Palace in Moscow.
termination of cooperation
While Netrebko canceled her appearances of her own accord, the 68-year-old Gergiev is now being unloaded from renowned houses around the world. His Munich artist agency had already separated from him at the weekend. Other institutions no longer want to work with him either: the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie canceled concerts with Gergiev “due to the continuing silence on the Russian invasion of Ukraine”, as the concert hall announced. Two concerts with Gergiev and the orchestra of the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theater were planned there for Easter.
The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden also ended the cooperation until further notice. Gergiev’s lack of distance “to the current inhuman actions of the Russian President was the deciding factor for us,” said director Benedikt Stampa. “We obviously no longer represent the same values.”
The Paris Philharmonic canceled scheduled concerts with Gergiev in April on Tuesday. The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra broke off the long-standing collaboration with the Russian conductor. Gergiev was chief conductor in Rotterdam from 1995 to 2008. The annual Gergiev Festival founded by the conductor in the port city in September is also canceled. The gap is unbridgeable, said a spokeswoman for the orchestra. In Edinburgh, Gergiev resigned as honorary president of the renowned Edinburgh International Festival after considerable pressure on Monday evening.
In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the New York Metropolitan Opera also announced that it no longer wanted to work with artists or institutions that support Putin. (dp a)