Valery Gergiev loves being sent to Siberia

Valery Gergiev loves being sent to Siberia

News

norman lebrecht

October 30, 2022

The Mariinsky conductor, banned in most of the world for being Putin’s baton, is just back from a tour of the frozen east – six concerts in Salekhard, Krasnoyarsk, Surgut, Khanty-Mansiysk and Naryan-Mar.

He says:
‘It is very important that we preserve the traditions of such performances in Russia. For example, we have been to Khanty-Mansiysk dozens of times already, and we feel at home there. This time we gave two concerts in the city, including a daytime concert for young people. Prior to that, we visited Surgut, the festival in memory of Dmitry Hvorostovsky in Krasnoyarsk and Salekhard.

‘And we ended this tour with a concert in Naryan-Mar, where we performed for the first time. The hall was also attended by children from local art schools and music schools.

‘For this tour, we have prepared a program that includes works by the greatest Russian composers and several wonderful works by foreign authors. In addition to the pleasure that these works can give the listener, they once again demonstrate the boundless power of music that overcomes any barriers that do not really exist.’

Comments

  • RW2013 says:

    He doesn’t look very happy…

    • Xiao Li says:

      Indeed, he looks in deep sorrow. the Russian situation may remind him Of ‘Herod the Great’ – he’s unable to persuade his people, but violently kills family members, rabbis, and people instead. Any music can not heal people who are forced to attend the army, suffering in the casualty. He only can conduct to awaken Putin’s return to humanity. Remember, Putin is a human, not a mindless beast.

  • Oliver says:

    The art of talking and not saying anything.

  • sammy says:

    Gergiev is such the patriot, nothing would please be more than to see him drafted and fighting on the front lines deep in the frozen trenches of winter.

    • El Cid says:

      For all of the Russophobics out there, your opportunity lies in the Ukraine an opportunity not seen since the 40’s.

  • Nicholas says:

    Most of the world outside the Collective West is much larger in size than the Collective West itself and has not banned Gergiev, but I understand how self important we like to feel in the West.

    • sammy says:

      You’re absolutely correct, Siberia alone is 33% bigger than the U.S. and you can fit 50 UKs into Siberia; indeed, Siberia has not banned Gergiev, so I sincerely wish Gergiev the best of luck in his future endeavors touring every village and hamlet and frozen patch of ice and for every passing polar bear for the rest of his life in Siberia.

      Come to think of it, that pretty much describes his current career “outside the Collective West”, doesn’t it?

    • ignacio javier says:

      effectively he can play with his orchestra in china, venezuela, cuba , corea del norte and some others places

  • Anonymous Bosch says:

    “The hall was also attended by children from local art schools and music schools.”

    Were they wearing gas masks?

  • David McKellar says:

    I admired Gergiev as a great conductor but now, to the extent he licks Putin’s boots, I must spit on him.

  • Ultonian says:

    Cultural lipstick on the barbarian pig.

  • Serge says:

    Despise Gergiev as much as you like, but this is a wonderful thing for the people of remote Russia, and let’s be honest: A tour like this would never happen in Western Europe, war or not.

    • sammy says:

      Is there a Siberia of France, of Italy?

      • Serge says:

        Didn’t your mum tell you not to waste others peoples time? Russia has dozens of big cities where Mariinsky could easily sell out. When was the last time Vienna or Berlin Phil played in a city of less than 50.000 inhabitants?

    • M2N2K says:

      This may be a “wonderful thing for the people of remote Russia”, but “let’s be honest”: a “tour like this” would have never happened in Russia either, if the maestro had more attractive and lucrative invitations to choose from.

  • MacroV says:

    In normal times it would be great to see Gergiev and his orchestra touring the Russian hinterlands, where their performances would mean a lot to the locals. But in the current environment, I don’t know what to think.

  • Alexander Rahbari says:

    Thank to stupidity of western countries , Maestro Gergiev and Russian audience are enjoying each other

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