Just in: Moscow police break up classical recital

Just in: Moscow police break up classical recital

News

norman lebrecht

April 13, 2022

Moscow police tonight broke up a concert of pianist Aleksey Lyubimov and singer Yana Ivanilova at the Rassvet cultural centre.

The programme included songs by the Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov.

The official reason was an anonymous bombing report.

Lyubimov’s final chord was an act of defiance.

Comments

  • Gabriel Parra Blessing says:

    Astonishing. Schubert’s D. 899 no. 2 Impromptu recontextualized as an act of protest and defiance. Chills.

  • Nina says:

    Hype’s trick by the pianist. Every musician from Moscow knows that Silvestrov doesn’t allow to perform his music in Russia since 2013. Show some respect to the composer, another way you’ll look like idiot.

    • Nick says:

      Well, it’s touching that the Russian police are so concerned about the feelings of a Ukrainian composer that they shut down a concert to reflect his wishes. Such empathy! Such human concern! Or perhaps, such thuggery.

  • Ed Walters says:

    Gosh that’s moving. I had the privilege of meeting Alexei after attending a concert of his in London several years ago. Amazing pianist. I was a teenager then (now in my 20s), so quite extraordinary to see him in this situation.

  • Simon Scott says:

    When will Pootin offer his resignation? I ask myself..
    ..

    • Petros Linardos says:

      Possibly when his apologist Trump will concede loosing the electoral college in 2020, and loosing the popular vote in 2016 and 2020.

      • Daniel St Louis says:

        The number of votes counted was never in dispute. But all the evidence of the questionable ways the ballots were handled needs to count too.

        • Petros Linardos says:

          About 40 lawsuits and countless audits failed to reveal irregularities beyond an ordinary margin an error, and far below Biden’s margin of victory. In critical swing states most of the results were certified by Republican officials who stood up to the rogue president.

        • David Lieberman says:

          Feverish claims are not “evidence,” no matter how many times you repeat them. Even judges appointed by Trump dismissed those claims as meritless precisely because they were not backed by evidence.

  • Aleksander says:

    Playing Ukrainian music in Russia is now a heroic undertaking. Aleksey Lyubimow defends the last russian free and true culture.

    • Nina says:

      Alexander, it looks like you are one of his students. Russia is full of musicians who are defending and celebrating Russian culture as you write these comments. And other men (on both sides of the war) are dying while you are still writing comments.

    • Nina says:

      But it was schubert impromptu that he played,so I don’t understand–It was not an ukrainian music–please somebody explain it to me?thanks

  • Craig says:

    Sad. But I have been to several I have felt like calling a halting; for musical not political reasons. There was a huge turn out in 2015 for the Mets premiere of Iolanthe by the Russian community. That was a great production along with Bluebeard’s Castle.

  • ENRIQUE SANCHEZ says:

    Tackiest thing I seen this year. 🙁

  • Jean says:

    So… is Silvestrov’s music also now banned in Russia ?

  • Hmmb says:

    Because it was too kitsch??

  • David A. Boxwell says:

    This kind of thing has happened before: Germany in the early 30s.

  • Michael Egerton says:

    Better not play any Prokofiev then, as he was Ukrainian.

  • Kevin Kenner says:

    Bravo Maestro Lyubimov! This is as much of a cultural war as a military conflict and we need courageous musicians like this great artist to speak out, especially in Moscow.

  • Danusia says:

    … maybe the world will see injustice which is done to Russian artists and sport/people. Only fair.

  • Jerry L Meconi says:

    Pathetic

  • Nina says:

    To dislike (to every my comment) lovers – please show some respect to the real information, not fakes. Silvestrov is a great composer of our time, and it’s not a good behavior don’t listen to his correct appeal.

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