Ilya Gringolts Knows Colleagues Who Support the War & Kept International Careers

By Francisco Salazar

Violinist Ilya Gringolts says he knows colleagues who support the war and have still kept their international careers.

In answering whether or not he feels the pressure as a Russian artist he told the Guardian, “I don’t feel any pressure, to be honest, and I think the problem is slightly blown out of proportion. I know plenty of people who don’t have any trouble even though they actually support the war. I’m not going to name any names … but you know they support the war. They keep their mouths shut and they can continue their international career.”

The violinist continued, “It’s a question of your own integrity. Everyone makes a choice. For some people, their careers are more important and others believe in higher ideals. Of course, those who support the war will never say it out loud. Some of them are actually decent people. But that’s a choice we all make. I think it’s a slippery slope.”

Gringolts was one of the first performers in the classical world to have spoken out against the war and was exiled from Russia as a result.

Throughout the past year, three artists have been particularly targeted for their past support of Vladimir Putin. Valery Gergiev was fired from all his Western engagements and continued his career in Russia as Music Director of the Mariinsky Theatre. Putin even suggested that he would unite the Mariinsky Theatre and Bolshoi Theatre and make Gergiev in charge of both of them.

Meanwhile, Teodor Currentzis has been under scrutiny for his orchestra MusicAeterna which is funded by Putin’s bank VTB. His latest orchestra Utopia is reportedly also being funded by the same bank. Many of the conductor’s concerts have been canceled and met with protests.

Finally, Anna Netrebko broke ties with the Metropolitan Opera with General Manager Peter Gelb accusing the soprano of taking a “public stance over a period of years.” The soprano has condemned the war on three occasions and has even reiterated her position against the war in two interviews. Her position caused her to be called a traitor in Russia and the soprano has not returned to Russia since the beginning of the war.

However, numerous artists have continued to perform internationally and have even performed under Putin supporter Gergiev. Gelb even defended Russian artists who continue to perform in Russia by stating “we’re not asking them to fill out questionnaires, or for their loyalty to the Met or to the west. We’re doing none of that and nor do I think it’s appropriate.”

Additionally, artists like Ildar Abdrazakov, who is set to perform in Chicago and Boston, was seen on New Year’s Eve partying with the Secretary of Defense alongside Hibla Gerzmava, who performed for the Russian state TV and who had previously supported the Annexation of Crimea.

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