A Lithuanian tenor is banned for singing in Belarus
OperaThe international Lithuanian opera singer Vaidas Vyšniauskas, also known as Kristian Benedikt, has enraged the authorities in his own country by giving a pre-Christmas concert at the National Opera and Ballet Theatre of Belarus.
Lithuania has endorsed an EU-wide boycott of Belarus, which is Russia’s ally in the invasion of Ukraine.
Vyšniauskas, 51, says he gave the concert at the invitation of a bishop in order to support pastors who are suffering repression under the Lukashenko regime. ‘I attended prayers and I mainly interacted with church members,’ he said.
But Lithuania’s Culture Minister Simonas Kairys said ‘such choices are incomprehensible to my common sense.’
And Jonas Sakalauskas, general director of Lithuania Opera and Ballet Theatre said: ‘So long as I am director, Vysniauskas will not sing here…This act is a betrayal of Lithuania.’
Oh for heavens sake Lithuania! It’s just some singing…stop moaning.
Music is music; politics is politics. End of story, goodbye, the end!
Propaganda is propaganda! Yesterday the VPO officially apologized for their activities during WWII. One aspect of those activities was culturally legitimizing national socialism.
As a citizen of a free country, I have the right to listen to whatever beautiful music I choose to, and I have the right to listen purely for musical sake without any outward associations if I want to.
So I thank you in advance for not being fascist towards me in telling me what I can or cannot listen to.
You absolutely do have the right to listen to whatever you wish and you can support whatever political movement you opt to follow. That said suggesting that cultural institutions and individuals supported by fascist governments are not only beyond reproach but in fact independent entities should, imo, be challenged now not 80 years after the fact. Last, suggesting that it’s fascist to point out your apparent moral indifference to opting to support pro-putin cultural entities strikes me as beyond ironic.
Oh I see! Sure I’ll stop listening to music that supports putin. I’ll listen to some American music played by American musicians. What?? America have also done war crimes? Oh surely not. Better cancel their music too. How about some lovely Wagner and Strauss conducted by Karajan. What?? They were all anti semitic?
Who’s the ironic one now, Amos? (Hint: it’s you).
“…culturally legitimizing national socialism.”
Oh, you mean like Ukraine.
Comrade H you have earned 2 bitcoin and a free weekend stay at the Black Sea resort of your choice for your latest disinformation effort. When was the last free and fair election in your handlers’ kleptocracy? Last, please always look up when visiting headquarters, you never who or what might be falling from the 6th floor window.
Sorry Comrade I meant to add that when visiting headquarters it is always prudent to say nyet when the tea trolley comes around. Best!
If you watch the great documentary film “Shoah”, the concentration camp guards are referred to as “Ukrainians”.
Until the war in Ukraine, the Nazis in Ukraine made headlines. Then radio silence, because they are now fighting against Russia, which took priority.
During WW2, Finland even allied with the Nazis, to fight the USSR.
That is Realpolitik. If you watch “The News”, any news, anywhere, selected narratives are provided.
Whether the singer’s explanation is acceptable or not is moot. But your assertion that “Music is music; politics is politics” is utterly wide of the mark. When you choose one candidate or another in a democratic election that is politics. What is happening in Belarus and Ukraine has less to do with politics than with human rights and war crimes.
To dismiss as moaning legitimate protest about such matters is callous.
A decision to cancel or boycott an artist for performing in a given territory or institution is a political decision. It becomes even more political if you do not apply consistent criteria in determining which territories/institutions/governments are deemed “unacceptable”. As matters stand, there are a lot of double standards at play. The human rights record of current and recent UK governments is at least as questionable as that of Belarus and Russia. Earlier this year, one of the UK’s worst living war criminals, Tony Blair (who presided over the UK’s illegal invasion of Iraq, to name his most notable war crime), was awarded the UK’s highest knighthood. In that context, it is hypocritical (if purporting to base one’s stance puerly on “human rights” criteria, as opposed to “political” criteria) to call for the boycott of an artist who performs in Belarus without also calling for the boycott of any artist who performs in the UK.
Ok, let me rephrase.
Music is music; war crimes are war crimes. End of story, goodbye, the end. I hope that satisfies your needs, Mr Boru.
Wasn’t music is music; war crimes are war crimes; end of story written just below Arbeit Macht Frei somewhere? End of story certainly won the day.
It’s not only the authorities that were enraged… I don’t think he will be singing for paying public in LT any time soon.
The religious smoke screen came only as an afterthought, while his initial excuse was that no one else is hiring him By the way, the concert in Minsk was held in the week of Putin’s visit there… talk of poor timing. Also, it was under the baton of one Anton Grishanin, a decorated artist of the RF, who was very happy to conduct a gala event in the occupied Crimea just a few months ago. So no points for guessing of his political leanings.
Your “points” is “fake facts”. In reality he sung in Christmas festival GALA concert. A lot of lithuanian support Kristian Benedikt and criticize political persecution from minister of culture of LR. Its a big SHAME for Lithuania as democraty country!
So bash up the singers.
Pity the poor modern musician. He or she has to be a) the right colour b) the right sex c) the right nationality d) have the right political stance e) be a vegan or vegetarian f) be the right race. Being able to sing, or play the piano, or the violin, is of secondary importance.