The Wiener Konzerthaus has canceled musicAeterna’s benefit concert. 

The concert hall noted that the cancelation is in respect to the wishes of the “Ukrainian Ambassador in Austria who asked to refrain from involving Russian artists in concerts for the benefit of Ukraine.”

The Konzerthaus added, “The Wiener Konzerthaus cannot ignore the political dimension of the performance of a St. Petersburg-based orchestra during the time of immeasurable suffering caused by the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine. We understand and share the desperation about the war crimes in Ukraine and condemn this aggression without reservation.”

Currentzis and his ensemble musicAeterna are financed by the sanctioned Russian VTB Bank, which is closely linked to President Putin.

The orchestra will still perform its April 11, 2022 concert at the Wiener Konzerthaus in a program of music by Strauss and Tchaikovsky.