The Italian political movement “People of Veneto,” led by former MP Vito Comencini, has filed a complaint over the cancelation of Ildar Abdrazakov’s performances in Verona.

The complaint was filed with the prosecutor’s office, alleging that the decision of the Arena di Verona management was made under pressure from the Italian Ministry of Culture and a number of politicians.

According to TACC, the document sent to the Prosecutor’s Office contains references to articles of Italian law concerning racial and religious discrimination, as well as censorship.

In an interview with TASS, Comencini said, “We filed a complaint because we believe law enforcement and judicial authorities should investigate such cases of obvious discrimination, if not persecution.” 

Abdrazakov was canceled from his contract at the Teatro Filarmonico due to his ties to the Putin government. He was set to open the 2026 season in a production of “Don Giovanni.” The Minister of Culture released a statement supporting the cancelation, stating, “I support the decision of the Teatro Filarmonico di Verona to cancel Ildar Abdrazakov’s performance. This is not primarily a matter of security, though that is very important: the arts and, more generally, Russian culture, like others, are always welcome in Italy when they represent a vehicle for dialogue and reconciliation between peoples. Not so, however, when they become a tool of propaganda in the service of a despotic power that cannot and must not have a right to citizenship in the free world.”

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