Gergiev’s sister will judge Tchaikovsky Competition

The names of next summer’s judges have been released to Russian media (but not posted on the competition’s website).

The competition’s chairman is Valery Gergiev, its artistic director Peter Grote.

The judges include:

Piano: Denis Matsuev (Gergiev and Putin pal), Vladimir Ashkenazy, Michel Beroff, Verbier director, Martin Engstroem, Peter Donohoe.

Violin: Yuri Bashmet (Gergiev and Putin pal), Maxim Vengerov, Salvatore Accardo, Victor Tretyakov, Ilya Kaler, Maxim Fedotov, Liana Isakadze.

Cello: Antonio Menezes, Lynn Harrell, Alexander Knyazev, Michael May, David Geringas, Sergei Roldugin.

Voice: Thomas Quasthoff, Geneva opera director Tobias Richter, Scottish conductor John Fisher, Elena Obraztsova and, wait for it, Gergiev’s sister, the pianist and opera coach Larisa Gergieva.

The organising committee is chaired by a deputy prime minister, Olga Golodets. The Putin regime’s footprints are all over this show.