Moscow drops chief conductor over Ukraine dissent

Moscow drops chief conductor over Ukraine dissent

News

norman lebrecht

August 18, 2022

The chief conductor of Moscow’s New Opera Theatre Valentin Uryupin has been summarily dismissed just before the start of the season.

He says: ‘I was forced to resign for very good personal reasons.’

Uryupin, 37, has made no secret of his opposition to the ‘special measures’ in Ukraine, where he was born. He has only been at the New Opera for one season and has yet to acquire an international profile.

He is managed by Karsten Witt in Vienna.

Comments

  • MacroV says:

    Well, much admiration from this corner. BTW, he’s also an outstanding clarinetist. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_nxU8LgALI&t=1518s

  • Valentin says:

    Dear Mr.Lebrecht.

    Thank you for your kind attention to me.

    I have to interfere (even despite I never wanted to comment this case in socials). Your article includes few very important inaccuracies.

    -Nobody “fired” me – I resigned by myself.
    -Translation of the word “вынужден» is completely NOT right. The right one is “had to”, not “forced to”. This is a tiny moments of Russian language, but the sense is too different
    -Karsten Witt’s office is in Berlin.

    Thank you and I kindly ask you to correct this article according to all above.

    Sincerely,

    Valentin Uryupin.

  • Save the MET says:

    Uryupin will now have better opportunities outside of Russia.

  • Guglhupf says:

    Such a gifted conductor, and a born leader. Wish him all the very very best.

  • Peter Schünemann says:

    Valentin Uryupin is not quite unknown in the West : this summer he conducted at Bregenz Festival Giordano’s“ Siberia”.

  • LG says:

    Well, Valentin has very well had quite a bit of international profile for years now, with numerous clarinet competition victories as well as a top prize at Solti competition in 2017, invitations to guest conduct Danish National SO, Frankfurt Opera, New Japan Phil and many more exceptional orchestras.

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