Rattle and Jurowski lead stop-the-war petition
NewsSenior conductors have launched a petition to, in their words, Stop the war against Ukraine and stop the blanket boycott against Russian and Belarusian artists.
Admirable though this is, joining the two objectives weakens the main thrust of the initiative, which is to shame Russia into putting an end to its illegal war. The signatories seem to be aware of this dilution, but there is nothing they can do to avoid it.
Sample text:
The unconscionable war that Putin’s totalitarian regime has unleashed against sovereign Ukraine, where Russian tanks and missiles are targeting innocent civilians, cannot be justified in any way. Bombing and assaulting civilian objects, such as hospitals, schools, theatres, universities, libraries, or churches, are war crimes, crimes against humanity, and must be unequivocally condemned without exception….
The suffering of all those affected by this atrocious war is beyond measure. We understand that in these circumstances our appeal below may not be considered of the highest priority and, perhaps, even seem somewhat irrelevant or offensive to some – the paramount issue is, after all, to stop the war now and rebuild lives – but nevertheless, we would like to share our point of view.
We fully endorse the sanctions and diplomatic pressure being brought against Putin’s regime and its henchmen, against its advocates, propagandists and information-manipulators whose links to Putin and his government are clearly documented. However, not all Russians and Belarusians, and certainly not all cultural figures of these two nations, support this terrible invasion. Therefore, we find it unjust to condemn Russians or Belarusians for the actions of the dictator and his supporters without any direct evidence of their collusion. …
Join the petition here.
“without any direct evidence of their collusion” …can somebody explain to me what does it means “direct evidence”? Having Putin attending a concert? Photo portrait with Putin? being paid by Russian Ministry of Culture? Any artist ( including foreign artist ) that played in Russia has been paid with money that in one or another way is linked to the Putin regime. Politic should stay away from music and culture, as much musicians should stay away from politic
Some people apparently haven’t realized that we’re at war. Russia invaded Ukraine and is killing Ukrainian citizens as they go, without asking what they think of Russia or Russians (maybe some have a good opinion of them, who knows?). Economic sanctions against Russia were introduced to force Russia to end the war and withdraw from Ukraine. Against ALL Russian citizens, not only against those (circa 90%) who support Putin because the purpose of economic sanctions is to put pressure on society to rethink their country’s policy and e.g. stop supporting Putin. Is this so difficult to understand? Why shouldn’t this pressure apply to artists if it should, by definition, apply to everyone? Isn’t a musician a citizen like others? If Russia withdraws from Ukraine, let Russian musicians perform wherever they want. But only then.
JS BRAVO!!!!!!
Esatto!
I am not a Russian citizen. I left Russia when I was a teenager. However a concert of mine was just cancelled cause promoter realized that I was born there. What do I have to do with Putin aggression?
During WWII there were certainly no German or Italian musicians invited to perform in the UK or the US – unless they had emigrated and distanced themselves from Nazi Germany.
While the West is currently not (and hopefully never) at war with Russia, it might still be reasonable to apply the same standard as long as Russia is waging war against Ukraine…
Until now no country has declared a ban of everything Russian, not even Ukraine. There are sanctions against selected organisations, individuals or activities. Should we boycott Kirill Serebrennikov, who went in jail in Russia? Or K. Petrenko and V. Jurowski, who both have lived in the West for years and have condemned the Russian invasion ? Or should we even boycott Nikolai Lugansky, who lives in Moskow, gives still concerts in the West and is not known for political statements ?
Lugansky has performed on the Russian side in the war zone last August.
Let’s face it, there are no great intellects at work here . It is sheer stupidity to conflate the two matters in one “petition”
I find the blanket boycott of Russians in any field, irrespective of their public commitment to the warmonger, reminiscent of interning all Japanese during WWII. I realise it seemed the right thing at the time, but hasn’t the US spent significant time in the past 3/4 century apologising for it?
I agree with you up to a point, dear Ms. Lind.
You’re absolutely 100% right about a “blanket boycott” (and I’ve always been ashamed at the US internment of peaceful, law-abiding Japanese families living on the West Coast in WWII, although I was born some years after the war concluded).
But I do think that anyone who **openly expresses support** for the loathsome Putain and/or his criminal and immoral invasion of Ukraine fully deserves to be boycotted and shunned.
Many if not most Russian musicians, of course, are simply trying to keep their heads down, and to stay out of the political crossfire by simply remaining silent.
In many cases, these musicians live and work in Russia as well as out of it, and they correctly believe that their livelihoods and the safety of their families would be endangered if they spoke out either way.
I believe their judgement should be respected and that they should be allowed to continue to work and live as best they can.
Exactly, Sr. Bottini.
Exactly, well expressed.
I think there’s a difference between not inviting RU/BY artists to perform in “the West” and detaining all RU/BY people living here.
Those who want to perform “in the West”: Defect.
Those who want to perform in both “the West” and RU/BY: Get rid of Putin.
Those who like Putin: Have fun behind the iron curtain. See you in some decades.
A solution for everyone.
You ask a lot of people whose only skill is playing an instrument, singing or waving a baton around. Either give up your country forever or overthrow a government.
“You ask a lot of people”
Do I? They have a choice. What do you think what qualifications those who worked at McD or IKEA etc. have? I haven’t seen a petition for them.
I really don’t see that artists should be treated differently.
I agree with them. Any Russian artist who put themselves out to oppose what Putin is doing (and therefore seems likely to be crossed of Putin’s Christmas card list) is welcome by me.
Joined.
Putain will never know this petition exists.
Who among his underlings would ever have the stones to tell him?
On a side note, curious to see both Sanderling Juniors on this list, when thinking of their father Kurt, cutting his teeth with the Leningrad Phil during the days of the worst Stalin terror…
Isn’t it too risky?
They are right! Fanatics cannot get it , but it is essential to preserve a spirit of tolerance and freedom in the Western world , otherwise we are going to internalize Putin s despotism and we re finished. Iti is a matter of survival.