An appeal to Carnegie Hall to cancel Valery Gergiev
NewsAnti-Putin activists in the US argue that it’s inappropriate to engage his musical puppet when the Russian leader is threatening war.
Open letter to Carnegie Hall.
To: Sanford I. Weill, President; Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director; Robert F. Smith, Chairman; Mercedes T. Bass, Vice Chairman
On the eve of war, as Russian troops stand at the borders of Ukraine, you are hosting notorious supporters and longtime promoters of this war, Denis Matsuev and Valery Gergiev.
In March 2014, Matsuev and Gergiev joined a host of other Russian artists and cultural figures in officially signing an open letter of support of President Putin’s policies to invade Ukraine and forcibly annex Crimea. (The letter is available at the web site of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation– http://mkrf.ru/…/deyateli-kultury-rossii-v-podderzhku…. English translation is available here: http://russianartists4war.com/letter/. Gergiev’s signature is number 97 and Matsuev’s is number 270).
This genre of letter is a well known political tool that has been widely used since Stalin’s era to advocate for and whitewash repressions, killings, and wars.
Over the past eight years, we have repeatedly appealed to you to shut your doors against those who support war and who are involved in Putin’s propaganda machine. For all those years, you have chosen to ignore the information that we have provided you, preferring to develop the narrative that these performers are “cultural ambassadors.” They are not. It is with their sincere blessings that fourteen thousand people are dead, hundreds of thousands are injured, millions are displaced, and the human rights of tens of millions are violated. Perhaps now – as Putin’s forces threaten not only the future of a sovereign Ukraine but also the stability and security of a democratic Europe – you can understand that Matsuev and Gergiev are, in fact, heralds of war and vehicles of the Kremlin’s soft power.
Today we appeal to you, again. Do not let Carnegie Hall go down in history as a servant of propaganda and war.
We must insist that you do the right thing – shut your doors against these servants and promoters of war.
Here we go again:mixing music and politics.
I am not a fan of Gergiev though…
tell Gergiev about this.
Supporting the annexation of Crimea, giving Pussy Riot short shift and flying to Syria for a concert in the ruins of Palmyra and so on – how would you name this, not a mix of music and politics, not a soft propadanda? They constantly do this, but you suggest to keep silent .
Do you actually know what happened to Pussy Riot? They got naked in one of the most sacred cathedrals in Russia, Vatican of Russia if you will. Imagine what would be the case if the same thing happened in the actual Vatican. Or Mecca. So, please educate yourself on the matter. You don’t seem to be aware what Russia did in Palmyra either, unfortunately it’s now all gone due to precisely “politics” of not wanting to collaborate on the preservation of one of unique historical sites.
I find the image of naked pop girls at the Mekka kaaba and in the Vatican eerily amusing.
While writing his ‘Enfant et les sortilèges’, Ravel imagined how nice it would be to have the wild foxtrot in that work, danced by an English tea pot and a Chinese tea cup, performed at the Vatican. (Written in a letter to a friend.)
Educate yourself – that’s not what they did, they never got naked in the Cathedral. Read at least Wikipedia.
Yep, Gergiev signed his political statement as a musician
Whether deliberately or not, they excluded Anna Netrebko. She is as much a puppet of Vlad’s as Gergiev and Matsuev. That she was not a signee of the letter means nothing.
I don’t think she’s on the schedule at Carnegie this season. Gergiev and Matsuev definitely are.
True. But the Metropolitan Opera ought to take notice.
Well, he hasn’t invaded yet, and it looks like he’s not going to. He just doesn’t want NATO missiles in Little Russia or White Russia, as the Ukraine and Belarus, with their huge ethnic Russian populations, used to be called. All three countries are deeply Russian Orthodox, and Putin is not going to cross the Metropolitans of that church. Crimea was Moscow-run when George Washington was president and remained so until the Belovezh Accords of 1991 unexpectedly converted the SSRs into nations, petrifying some whimsically placed borders such as the one to the east of the Donbas. Gergiev made a huge contribution to the dissemination of Russian opera in the West and was a real soldier in keeping the Kirov alive in the bad years. Matsuev is a brilliant pianist and Netrebko sings magnificently. Let’s lay off these artists. And anyone who imagines the Wiener are going to allow U.S. activists to select their soloists and conductors is in for a surprise: they’ll cancel the tour first.
Crimea was joined to Ukraine in 1954.
… when the Ukraine was Moscow-run.
Invasion happened eight years ago. And your bs propaganda may work only for those who knows nothing about history.
“And your bs propaganda may work only for those who knows nothing about history.”
The problem with morons: Strength in numbers* kinda is their thing.
*) For morons reading this: I’m not saying you’re good at math. Just to prevent any misunderstandings.
“Well, he hasn’t invaded yet”
Well, he has.
“Vlad the Troll”
Obviously.
Привет из Германнии!
These opinions in the US are so deranged and uninformed, alternatively brainwashed, the McCarthy era is back, possibly worse.
The promoters of war actually sit in Washington in this case (and not only in this one).
Victoria Nuland is not really secretive about the ambitions she and her neoconservative scum are fighting for.
Does the U.S. or NATO have 100,000+ troops sitting on the border of a neighbor, conducting military exercises, engaging in cyber attacks, and writing opinion pieces about how their neighbor isn’t a real country?
Anticipating an attack by a country on a neighbor is not warmongering, and not anticipating such an attack is recklessness.
If someone is deranged and uninformed it is those who eats up Russian propaganda and serve Putin as his useful idiots
Woke cancelling at its absolutely worst. Musicians should be able to support whatever war they like. I’m sure there are plenty of CH performers during the years who have supported various atrocities. Should they have been banned? No, OF COURSE not.
CH performers?? What, have Swiss* musicians supported atrocities?
*Officially: Confoederatio Helvetica
It took at least 20 years after the end of WWII for the card carrying NSDAP member Elizabeth Schwarzkopf to be allowed back at the Met. She was married to the powerful head of EMS, which was tremendously helpful. And she did have one of the best voices. Gieseking’s post-war recitals were met with vociferous protests, notably in Australia and the US, where he was obliged to cancel a tour. I wonder why. Musicians should be able to support whatever war they like, right?
Indeed. Meanwhile Nero is lauded as an artist by historians.
So I assume they will ban President Biden too for war mongering? All this willy waving is pathetic on both sides I just want to slap both of them and tell them to grow up.
What war is Biden mongering? And last I checked, he’s not someone who performs at Carnegie Hall.
Gergiev sold his soul and his talent to the Devil when he supported russia’s war against Ukraine, he does not deserve to be on any cultural stages, especially in New York.
It is a dangerous and stupid error, to consider that politics and music do not mix. By inviting a man who has expressed support for a dictator, you are expressing support yourselves.
This is a complex problem. The east of the Ukraine has a strong Russian orientation, while the west wants to be part of Western-Europe. In the east, there are large industrial complexes, so if they become Russian, this will be a big loss to the Ukraine. But I wonder, why not ask the people concerned to which country they want to belong? Why not a questionaire for East-Ukrainers? And if they want to be Russian, what could be against it? These decision making over the heads of the people concerned is below contempt.
The Russian war mongery is despiccable, with all the threat talk, as if we still live 100 years ago. They could have gone about it in a very different way. Now we see the true nature of the Russian reigning elite, they never changed, and don’t want to learn from history, and don’t want to be part of the free world – because then, these elites would quickly go down.
“This is a complex problem. ”
No, it’s not. It’s mind-numbing simple. Russia invaded. And now they’re threatening the rest of Ukraine/World so they can keep what they annexed in 2014. And you want to hand them a “question[n]aire” to legitimize their invasion? Really?
It’s like if I robbed you, and then threaten to rob you again, but being a nice and deescalating soul I just keep what I robbed the first time. Diplomacy wins! See why the second part was needed to keep what I robbed the first time around? To appear reasonable.
So no, it’s not complex at all. It’s basic game theory.
“And if they want to be Russian, what could be against it?”
They could, you know, move to Russia. If I wanted to be Russian, I wouldn’t declare my hometown to be part of Russia.
(Also, Eintracht already has blue and yellow as their colors, so… 😀 )
“Now we see the true nature of the Russian reigning elite”
Just now? Okay.
For starters, the 2014 change of government in Ukraine was the coup, that was sponsored by the US. Victoria Nuland who was a US ambassador in Ukraine was in person handing cookies to the demonstrators. Imagine if on Jan 6 Capitol protest Russian ambassador would do the same to pro-Trump protesters? Just the fact that such diplomatically shameless and despicable act of meddling in the affairs of another country didn’t get condemned by world powers says a lot about the state of modern politics.
Now, do you also happen to know that they tried banning Russian language? That’s right, in 21st century it’s considered Okay to ban language used as a primary language in some parts of the country (Crimea and Donbass). Imagine if they banned Spanish in Texas.
And lastly, there is an open support for neo-nazi groups that idolize Bandera (major Hitler collaborator) and in the UN the resolution of condemnation of nazism is being blocked by guess which two countries? US and Ukraine. And silence of Israel on this is very sketchy.
Each and every word you spell is a lie.
“Please Educate Yourself ”
You really should, troll.
Привет из Германии.
Your nick here is perfectly match to what you really have to do, please educate yourself! I am russian speaking, Ukrainian born American citizen, have visited Ukraine twice in last 6 month. Freely speaking in russian language everywhere with absolutely no problem. You are such lier!
Thank you for publishing this appeal! Gergiev and other signatories of the shameful letter in support of annexation of Crimea and war in Ukraine are the ones who mix art and politics. Putin’s confidante, Gergiev was appointed an Honorary Member of the Community Council of the Investigative Committee of Russia, a federal governmental agency controlled by President Putin, which is notorious in today’s Russia as a new punitive body responsible for serial human rights violations.
The idea that art and politics shall not be mixed is an example of awful naivete when applied to totalitarian or even autocratic regimes. In democratic societies, indeed, the political views of musicians and artists are their private business and shouldn’t concern anyone in the public sphere. Putin’s Russia, however, is not a democracy. It is an unhuman kleptocratic authoritarian regime deranged by the dreams of restoration of the Russian Empire. To achieve its goals the regime is engaged in the propagandistic campaign of lies and deception, and Gergiev and Matsuev are important elements of this campaign projecting the image of Putin as a benevolent supporter of the Arts. Their political views align with imperialistic views of Putin and his gang, and they do not hesitate to express their support for Putin’s crimes publically. To give them a tribune by allowing their concerts anywhere in the West is an example of either complete corruption of the Carnegie board or of its political stupidity.
Correct, all of it.
Presenting criminal regime as being cultural and civilized has been a well-known signature move of Russian propaganda machine since the Soviet era. Now it’s being successfully employed to establish “soft power” through cultural influence to promote Putin’s Russia. The New York Times published in 2019 an article on Putin’s expanding efforts to use the “soft power” of cultural diplomacy as a tool of foreign policy (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/06/arts/russia-oligarchs-arts.html?fbclid=IwAR21FQKhdTsVUbo3L03C3Ph8_jmdvoMBUosAaoipX1HtqVWRTDk8hHh-ZiY)
Remember the day when Trump and Putin sat through Beethoven 9?
It didn’t make a scrap of difference.
Or did it?
As stated elsewhere here – the Wiener Philharmoniker chooses its conductor for any given tour or other concerts. Carnegie Hall would have to cancel the VPO in order to bar Gergiev. Not going to happen.
Matsuev and Gergiev have indeed expansive political roles as human rights abusers. Consider Gergiev’s membership in the Community Council of the Investigative Committee of Russia, a government agency notorious for human rights violations. Also that Matsuev was one of the writers of recent constitutional amendments that established Russian ethnic supremacy and criminalized homosexuality. As Putin’s cronies, they make no apologies for their investment in the spoils of war.
Those who think that art and politics don’t mix are either naive or playing naive. As Harvey Sachs wrote in his very good article about Furtwängler in 1993, “the principle of keeping art separate from politics may be a good one under democratic regimes and in peacetime, but it cannot function in a reign of terror, brutality, and war.” It didn’t work that back then, it doesn’t work now. Reputation matters a lot, and it is beyond disgusting that all CH sees is sponsorship and donation money.
Well, in the past 60 or so years the Americans have invaded, bombed or regime-changed most of the world, including Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Syria, Panama, Laos, Cambodia. Let’s hope the music world bans American musicians to show its disapproval of the 100s of thousands of people so killed or maimed. I’m so glad I’ve always studied history.
Mr Collier, If you had family in Ukraine ( like I do) you could only support the message that this letter sends to Carnegie Hall. There is no message in it that excuses American errors of the past and present, and that has little to do with blocking supporters of Putin’s tyrannical policies. Distraction is a tool that Putin himself uses often and it can never diminish the acts of aggression that Putin has brought against Ukrainians.
Other countries and their citizens will express their feelings and attitudes toward American musicians. Carnegie is in the US, we are in the US and the topic is about what we are ready to accept in the US. I have no idea why you are trying to switch the subject.
arts and politics are not good friends not even good companions….
Gergiev, as de facto head of Russian culture, and everything in St. Petersburg, has no choice but to align with Putin in order to maintain funding for all the organizations and people under his umbrella. And he does take care of people.
“He does take care of people”, read the recent article. “Nevsky News reports that musicians at the Mariinsky Theatre are in uproar over an explosion of Covid infections, which they blame directly on their music director.
https://slippedisc.com/2022/01/breaking-valery-gergiev-faces-orchestra-covid-rebellion/
“Another sad: ‘Gergiev always does what he wants. He is the king, and we are his serf musicians. He has a complete sense of impunity. He is a manager, he makes money. Only sometimes – creativity.’
He takes care of himself, that’s all.
What planet are you posting from?
Matsuev and Gergiev both are supporting Putin’s war in Ukraine, they represent Putin’s “soft power” to promote his deadly and crazy political course. It is really shame for Carnegie Hall to host such performers. Shame on you, Carnegie Hall!
I wonder when this Carnegie Hall leadership starts understanding what kind of legacy they are leaving by repeatedly inviting Putin’s top propagandists. One would think they should understand it well by now. The history will judge them.
I want to hear the Vienna but not Gergiev conducting the orchestra