Now Gergiev is banned by Japan
NewsA few weeks ago, the isolated St Petersburg conductor was bragging that a western boycott would not affect his massive demand in Asia, specifically China and Japan.
Well, yesterday Japan let it be known that November and December concert tours by Gergiev and his friend Denis Matsuev have been cancelled. Both have close connections to Vladimir Putin.
A Kremlin official attending the funeral of former prime minister Abe said this was ‘not a wise decision’.
Mikhail Shvydkoy, special representative of the Russian president for international cultural cooperation, said that supporting Putin’s policies did not mean having less talent as a musician. He added that Russian culture is an integral part of global culture.
For Gergiev this is a severe blow – not just for himself and the Mariinsky company but, more intimately, for his plans to launch his teenaged son Abisal as an international pianist.
Those plans are now on ice.
Ah well there’s still China – they won’t ban him. And China is huge and rich.
Banning does not take place without geopolitics. Japan seems to have decided to place the bet on the U.S., rather than Russia, which has resorted to drafting in Ukraine.
China is the challenger of the US, but may not choose to go down with Russia.
These are perilous times, not just because of all-in-Putin, but Joe “Where’s Jackie” Biden. I guess the “leader of the free world” is above cognitive tests. Too big to fail.
I wonder, what the US has decided, and by whom? Hope it works out. This would be the time.
I suspect that China wouldn’t ban him actually, as they are indeed huge and rich. Also, I’m sorry to say, I don’t think the China administration/government (call it what you will) has the moral fibre of Japan. I stress that this is not a reflection on ‘ordinary’ Chinese people, just the leadership.
China is huge but not so rich..
Apparently there is a concert tonight in Moscow as part of Putin’s annexation announcement happening now. I wonder who will conduct…
Yes, there is if it hasn’t’ started already, and could be a rock concert – who knows and who cares? Illegal referenda so hardly time to celebrate anything.
Russia IS exporting its culture now – lies, bombs, and war crimes. Sorry, Dostoevsky, Pushkin, and Tchaikovsky.
Time to return the toothpick to its intended purpose …
Brilliant. Bravo Japan. Bold move. Especially with the news today that Currentzis is out of Stuttgart.
I love the fascist response: “that supporting Putin’s policies did not mean having less talent as a musician.”
Gergiev’s son Abisal will presumably have to abseil into the “Stans” to start his career.
Abisal … or Abysmal?
Not before time.
Odd to think Gergiev was once the chief conductor of the LSO. He should never have been