Ex-Bolshoi chief conductor bravely denounces Russia

Ex-Bolshoi chief conductor bravely denounces Russia

News

norman lebrecht

March 04, 2022

Message from Vasily Sinaisky:
Carefully observing the events unfolding now in Ukraine I feel astonishment and great bitterness not being able to see or hear the opinions of our leading musicians. After all, musicians, like no one else, should be attuned to the mood of society and react to it.

I will give my opinion. Besides anger and indignation which I feel when I see the injustice of the present events, I feel a great compassion for the people of Ukraine. My grandfather was Ukrainian, and from my earliest childhood I heard from my mother and other relatives Ukrainian songs, words and saying. My happiest times were spent during school holidays with relatives in Kyiv and its surroundings. And even then I could sense the love of Ukrainians for their Motherland, how they endeavoured to do everything for it to flourish.

When my friends, the outstanding Ukrainian musicians, the conductor Stepan Turchak and the composer Miroslav Skorik, used to come to my Latvian orchestra, together we used to give such concerts which remained for a long time in the memory of the audience.

Therefore the present events feel like a vile invasion into a sovereign state which causes only grief and tragedy for thousands of people. Those who started all this would benefit from listening to the Ukrainian national anthem. What a pure, powerful and bright melody, which shows so well the character of this nation. Its sound will always prevail over the clanking noise of alien tanks and the crude orders screamed by army commanders. One feels like saying: stop, truth is not on your side.”

Vassily Sinaisky,
Chief Conductor of Janáček philharmonic Ostrava, Conductor Emeritus of Latvian National Symphony Orchestra

Comments

  • music lover says:

    Bravo,Maestro Sinaiski!!!Brave words!And i enjoyed playing under you so much years ago!

  • Brettermeier says:

    “Therefore the present events feel like a vile invasion into a sovereign state which causes only grief and tragedy for thousands of people.”

    As homework for tomorrow, write a short essay on why the present events FEEL like a vile invasion into a sovereign state. Extra points for not mentioning crazy Russian dictators.

    Class dismissed.

    • Brettermeier says:

      “feel like a vile invasion”

      NOT: is a vile invasion

      “Those who started all this”

      NOT: Putin/Russia

      You guys really don’t see these things, do you. Egh.

      • Liam Allan-Dalgleish says:

        Get a gun and get out in the street!

      • music lover says:

        It´s all about yourself…Smug,self congratulatory,arrogant,irrelevant.And completely removed from reality…Patronizing people living in dictatorships from your armchair in a cozy democracy.

        • Brettermeier says:

          I gave you a thumbs up because you got “arrogant” right.

          • music lover says:

            Herrenmensch,i understand…

          • music lover says:

            Take in some refugees,as we did in some unused space in our house.Organize some aid transports…Spend money to charity organizations….do something useful! No one needs your smart alec BS from the safety of your armchair.Stop running your mouth about things you have no clue about….Show your concern by doing something,not by stylizing yourself into some kind of resistance hero…!

    • music lover says:

      Oh,i would like to see your courage to speak out in a country where you can face up to 15 years in prison for doing so…..You´re talking big,i doubt you would deliver.

  • Symphony musician says:

    Bravo, Maestro Sinaisky. You’ve always been one of my favourite conductors and now you’re one of my favourite human beings in the whole arts sector. It takes real courage for a prominent Russian to make such a statement and I applaud you. Please come and conduct in the UK again soon!

  • Peacelovingmusician says:

    Amazing and courageous words.we’ll do vassily!

  • The View from America says:

    +1,000

  • Victor Yampolsky says:

    Спасибо , Вася! Обнимаю тебя крепко. Виктор

  • Freewheeler says:

    I really should get off my fat a and denounce someone myself soon. Trouble is I don’t hate anyone.

    • Liam Allan-Dalgleish says:

      That’s like watching your neighbor stab his dog 16 times and as it bleeds to death say: Well, I don’t know much about animals.

  • Frank Flambeau says:

    And only 9 or so days after the invasion.

  • Emmanuel Etuk says:

    Thank you so much for speaking the truth, great personality.

  • Nik_f says:

    BRAVO maestro!!!!!

  • Tony Bird says:

    Maestro I applaud your guts in speaking out against this brutal and inhumane war wish there were more people like you, be safe Maestro

  • Good man. Where exactly did he do this?

  • Tim Walton says:

    Vasily is a great musician and a great human being. I completely agree with his comments

  • Paul Sullivan says:

    Brave indeed; considering a new law passed by the Russian State Duma designed to quash any domestic criticism of the “Special Operation”:

    “The bill envisions penalties of up to 10 years in prison for individuals convicted of the offense. The penalty for the distribution of “false news” about the Russian Army that leads to “serious consequences” rises to up to 15 years in prison.”

  • Katherine Walpole says:

    Shame on you Slipped Disc for your title. He does not say he denounces Russia, he denounces the attack on the Ukraine.

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