Musicians consider a ban on Moldova over violin seizure
NewsThere has been widespread outrage at the seizure two months ago of Alexandra Conunova’s Guadagnini violin by Customs officials at Chisinau Airport.
Despite an apology by the Minister of Culture, the violin has not yet been returned.
Alexandra has put up a petition but that applies no pressure to the rogue Moldavians.
Now, the outstanding Moldovan-Swiss violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja has hinted she may not return to her homeland.
Pat Kop writes:
Nightmare: Alexandra Conunova’s violin was taken away by the Moldovans who do not give it back (https://www.thestrad.com/…/violinist…/14131.article).
Anybody seeing this is urgently invited to sign her petition here:
www.petitieonline.com/freeguadagnini
May I add that I just received an invitation to play in Moldova. Would you advise to go?
Would you ever want to perform in such a country?
No great loss cancelling Chisinau.
How absolutely outragelus and terrible. An authorized and outright theft by the authorities under color of law. No musician should ever set foot in the country!!!
Stay away from Moldova. Stay away from Belarus. Stay away from Russia. There is nothing there for you except the grifting of dictators.
There is no need for you to worry about entering or leaving Moldova, unless you are hiding 2.5 mln undeclared goods in your luggage:-))) Every instrument should have a passport with full description. Alexandra C. broke the law and tried something illegal not declaring a very precious violin that is why experienced problems. Pretending she wasn’t aware of the law is not an excuse in jurisprudence. I’m on the side of the law, as long as this is properly investigated instrument is in custody. Rightly so.
It wasn’t your violin and even with a presidential apology it has not been returned. Also, customs should not be surprised that a world class musician has a spectacular instrument. No musician had to declare the value of their instrument at any countries airport.
You’re totally full of shit, Maria. The taking of the violin, then refusing to return it is just bald thievery, and not a matterof law as much as it is a total absence of decency and ethics.
Hi Maria,
Obviously, this violin is not belong to Moldova! It’s having an owner. Isn’t?
Hi Maria,
Obviously, this violin is not belong to Moldova!
It’s having an owner.
Isn’t?
Yeah, I would too. Just imagine if it was from that Vulture named Stradivari, with his children hanging around the corners outside where he’s sniffing at them wondering why they aren’t doing anything. It’s the VARNISH stoopid. And then Giovanni chimes in wishing everyone a good night except his newest victim to have that vulture show up in the morning, without hesitation, asking for breakfast without hesitation I myself said (he had started to inhale): “without hesitation asking for breakfast are you? Well you look good enough for me, but clean up a little huh?”
We TOOK OFF so fast….
Landed on Mars actually….
Not allowed on Moldova, hopefully.
Less information, please. You’ll only cause more confusion and bewilderment.
More information please, you’ve only caused confusion and bewilderment!
As someone commented before, I bet they don’t have the instrument anymore, even if they intended to return it. Someone made off with the violin and the government is no doubt embarrassed to admit it’s gone.
Fortunately, Conunova has indicated that the authorities have now just returned it.