Breaking: Munich fires Gergiev
NewsThe Mayor of Munich Dieter Reiter this morning fired the chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic, Valery Gergiev. He had been given three days to distance himself from Putin’s Ukraine invasion and did not respond.
Reiter said: ‘I would have expected him to reconsider and revise his very positive assessment of the Russian ruler. He didn’t do that. In the current situation, however, it would be a clear signal for the orchestra, its audience, the public and city politics have been essential to be able to continue working together. If this has not happened, the only thing that remains is an immediate separation. We will clarify everything else as soon as possible.’
There will be no further concerts by the Munich Philharmonic under Gergiev’s direction, the Mayor said.
I hear that Gergiev did not even have the courtesy to respond to the Munich mayor’s letter! Arrogant on top of opportunist and fascist?
He was given a pass for far too long. These ties were known for years and years. I am also guilty for ignoring it. We need to stop giving artists – whether ignorant or manipulative of politics – a pass. Obviously, the latter is far worse, but both should not be acceptable.
Finally and what took so long? Excellent news nevertheless.
In this time of Covid, he finally removed his mask to fully reveal himself.
Munich did give him a reasonable chance to withdraw his previous opinion and to clearly distance himself from Russia’s military attack.
He apparently failed to do so in time.
He is not a victim, Anna.
The right move, and an opportunity to get a new, younger conductor whi is NOT a lazy dunkard. 😉
There seems to be a curse on this orchestra when it comes to music directors.
Levine – bad habits
Thielemann – walked out in a huff
Maazel – narcissistic, sudden death
Gergiev – socio-political suicide
I think Gatti would be a logical successor.
Interisting to know who they will choose for the next MD. Like the RCO and the Rundfunk after the death of Mariss they can take their time.
Celibidache: very narcissistic even by conductor standards, died during his tenure.
Rudolf Kempe: great conductor, died prematurely at age 66.
So problematic conductors “are part of their DNA” – in today’s jargon.
Problematic may be hyperbole.
I wouldn’t necessarily call Maazel problematic, and have a hard time coming up with negative qualities about the great Rudolf Kempe.
Let’s say the Munich Philharmonic had more than their share of bad luck.
Bad habits? Talk about understatements.
Their mistake was to hire him in the first place.
Gergiev is at once the busiest and the laziest of conductors, over-booked but under-rehearsed.
Now I understand why he overbooked like a cheap low-cost airline: he knew one day the customers would stop coming, so he booked for a lifetime in anticipation of being banned some day for the rest of his life.
Ironically, the proper punishment for him is not to burn his recordings, but to keep them all on youtube as an eternal archive of his lackadaisical output, because the vast amount of his recorded stuff is just him going through the motions while sleep deprived and jetlagged.
This is clearly the right decision, though I can’t help thinking that Gergiev was in an impossible position. His options were:
1) say nothing – and this is what happens; or
2) come out and condemn Putin, leading most likely to funding being cut from the Mariinsky and endangering the livelihoods of thousands of Russians working there, plus most probably never being able to return to Russia.
All of which rather demonstrates the danger of cosying up to Putin in the first place; but then again, I am sure VG was aware that there was only one way to secure significant state funding in Russia.
Agree with your last point. That’s what happens when you hitch your wagons to a dictator. You make the bed you sleep in.
Why not make a statement, though? The lives of Russians have already been endangered by Putin’s actions. He made another bad choice here. He’s demonstrated arrogance his entire life. This incident is no exception.
Gergiev has enjoyed a lot of Western freedoms. Even some in inner circle of oligarchs have come out against this war, however feeble those statements are. In the absence of a statement, I think we can and should assume that he’s in favor of this war.
Would that really surprise anyone? He may (arguably) be a savant for classical music, but he’s clearly a soulless fool in other matters.
I don’t think that’s unfair.
I agree, he is in an impossible position and this shows that when you sell your soul to the Devil it may look an advantageous bargain, but there will always be a price to pay, a price which is always disproportiinate in comparisin to the benefits received…
I think Gergiev is sly enough before making decisions and actually will not regrett anything he did till today. I think every single decision he would have take again.
A certain “L’Histoire du soldat” by countryman Igor Stravinsky and Charles Ferdinand Ramuz springs to mind…
Non-arguably Gergiev is NOT a savant for classical music. Please don´t insult the more talented artists who deserve more recognitions for their contributions to classical music, independent of political or personal mis-decisions.
It is refreshing to read a reflected and informed comment by someone who seems not to be ignorant and mean and proud of it. Thank you.
Now it’s clear.
So happy to live in the free west where we have the freedom to fire people who have the wrong opinions.
I’m hoping this isn’t sarcasm, but if it is you should give that message to the innocent people getting murdered in the Ukraine while you play keyboard warrior.
firing is still better than killing, isn´t it?
You think Gergiev would keep his job for long in Russia if he came out against Putin? How many people came out against Putin and ended up somehow drinking coffee laced with toxic or radioactive additives?
No, but he would have a lifetime of work outside of Russia, where he would be considered a hero.
You seem to forget that we are at war and that boycotting is one of the few weapons that countris that do not use bombs have left to fight. Are Gergiev and Netrebko responsible for the war? Certainly No, but so are those innocent bombed by Russia. Gergiev and Netrebko are casualuties of retalation of a different sort. It is not anymore a matter of being free or not of having an opinion at this point…
Nonsense ! Gergiev went to Syria after their dictator had massacred many civilians.Gergiev is a condoner of it every time!
Finally!
9 years ago I was disgusted when LSO made Gergiev chief conductor .told LSO and refused to attend . He’s always been a Putin henchman ass licker and over rated (by some) conductor
Munich needs to appoint Vanessa Benelli Mosell as their next chief conductor.