The IX St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum has been canceled due to the war in Ukraine. In a press release, the organizers said, “the forum has always been more than just a meeting point for professionals. It is a platform for sharing best practices and for establishing creative and business contacts. It has become a real feast for the professionals {…}
The Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm has expelled Valery Gergiev from its membership. The Academy noted in a press release, “at the meeting of the Royal Musical Academy on October 10, the decision was made to exclude the Russian conductor Valery Gergiev as a foreign member. He was excluded on the basis of his unwillingness to take a stand {…}
(Credit: Valeri Guérguiev) Valery Gergiev’s upcoming Japan concerts have been canceled. The Russian conductor was originally set to tour with Denis Matsuev in November and December. However, the concerts were canceled due to Gergiev and Matsuev’s ties to Putin. Regarding the cancelation Mikhail Shvydkoy, special representative of the Russian president for international cultural cooperation, Japan is anti-Russia. However, he said, {…}
Valery Gergiev will not be paid for his firing from the Munich Philharmonic. The orchestra said that the conductor will definitely not get any severance pay. Additionally, the orchestra added that the Maestro has not taken any legal action. A spokesperson for the orchestra said, “He probably doesn’t care, given his wealth.” In a statement, the Mayor of Munich Dieter {…}
Following questioning on why Valery Gergiev is not on the European sanctions list, Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra of the Dutch Parliament said he did not meet the criteria. The Minister said in response to parliamentary questions from D66, “He now meets ‘insufficiently’ the criteria and ‘the objective of the sanctions.” In his response, the minister couldn’t say whether Gergiev had {…}
Photo: Juilian Hargreaves Since the end of February 2022, in statements made by several artist or theaters, we have kept reading something along the lines of: “Art must be separated from politics.” It is an encouraging and probably fair point, but can it be, especially, when we talk about opera? Today, when we enjoy a performance worth hundreds of thousands {…}
Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited the Artistic Director of the Mariinsky Theatre, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation Valery Gergiev to unify the Bolshoi Theatre and Marrinsky Theatre. In a press conference, the Russian ruler mentioned that the Directorate of Imperial Theaters was under single governance under the Russian Empire from 1786 to 1917. He said, “Valery Abisalovich, we {…}
Valery Gergiev is selling $150 million worth of property in Milan. According to the Corriere della Serra, the Russian conductor, who has been fired from all his European contracts, has put at least 20 properties for sale. The properties include a villa on the Amalfi Coast, complete with Roman ruins and an Aragon tower in the garden, the Palazzo Barbarigo {…}
The Munich Philharmonic and Rotterdam Philharmonic are terminating their relationship with Valery Gergiev. In a statement, Mayor Dieter Reiter of Munich said, “Munich is parting from principal conductor Valery Gergiev. With immediate effect, he will no longer be conducting concerts of the Munich Philharmonic. Valery Gergiev has not spoken out despite my call to ‘clearly and unequivocally distance himself from {…}
(Photo by Dario Acosta) Soprano Anna Netrebko has taken to social media to declare her stance against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. “I have said , I am opposite to this senseless war of aggression and I am calling on Russia to end this war right now , to safe all of us! We need peace #friendship,” she posted on {…}
The Edinburgh International Festival has announced that it has accepted the resignation of conductor Valery Gergiev, effective immediately. “The board of trustees of the Edinburgh International Festival has asked for, and accepted the resignation of, Valery Gergiev as Honorary President of the Festival. Edinburgh is twinned with the city of Kyiv and this action is being taken in sympathy with, {…}
