What is Craig Rutenberg doing at the Tchaikovsky Competition?
NewsThe former Director of Music Administration at the Metropolitan Opera, who was left destitute six weeks ago by ill-health, has popped up on the voice jury of the Putin-Gergiev Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.
He does so in the thick of a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
How does he justify his participation?
We would genuinely like to hear.
Friends and colleagues donated $130,000 to help put Craig back on his feet.
Analogous to French women consorting with German army officers in Paris in 1940-44, or German women consorting with Soviet army officers in Berlin thereafter?
Hey, if it puts food on the table …
Since when is participating as a judge in a vocal competition equivalent to consorting with an army?
Is there evidence, besides appearing on a list, that this man, who has undergone several major surgeries and who needs an aid to accompany him just to walk to the corner, has traveled all the way to Russia? It strains credulity. But very little evidence is needed on his site before someone is practically accused of war crimes.
No real evidence necessary – it gets clicks from you and me.
He has a long-standing connection with the Mariinsky – and, despite the success of his GoFundMe, probably needed the money. Given the magnitude of US medical costs, what he raised on GFM may have been just a drop in the bucket.
Must be an error. He’s in New York, undergoing intense physio following a number operations.
It is a very good and appropriate question to ask. If the man is so ill and nearly destitute what in the world is he doing in Moscow? Something smells of fish in this.
A.L. That smell is the effluvium of your comment. And, likely, your intelligence as well.
It’s called Zoom, Norman.
Why exactly is it any of our business?
It is the public’s business if he accepted a lot of donations from people on the premise that he was struggling, and then turns up at an event sponsored by a war criminal.
“IF”
Hopefully he can come out and say that he’s not judging it. Following.
In fact, he is currently in a New York hospital
why should he justify anything to you or me or.NL?
Go to the Tchaikovsky Competition official website, in the section “Photo Gallery”, there are pics of the voice competition, including the jury. The pics show 6 jury members & Craig Rutenberg is definitely not one of them.
There are 11 voice jurors listed on the website, Rutenberg is one, & I seriously doubt that the photographer is cutting out 5 of them in the official photos. This can be confirmed by watching the archived livestream of the voice competition where the jurors are introduced individually. I see only 6 jurors in the photos.
The possibility of allowing a juror to participate in this live round by Zoom as someone here suggested would be unethical & a first for any major competition.
Norman may have revealed a disturbing point. Is the Competition advertising international support by posting names of fake jurors as participants? Does Craig Rutenberg know that his name & image are being used? Maybe the friends who sponsored his go fund me should look into this.
In the broadcast of the cello section they in fact introduced Alexander Rudin as “listening remotely.” I am not sure whether that’s been the case in other sections as well.
The new AD at Opera Australia finds it impossible to attend the mandatory auditions she has insisted the entire body of singers in Australia stop what they are doing and come sing, so this is apparently the new normal with admins. Nobody is certain what is keeping this woman, since nobody seems to know who she is. Its the new Charlie’s Angels approach.
“What is Craig Rutenberg doing in Moscow?” Quick answer : nothing! In case he really showed up as well respected member of the voice jury, he is in St. Petersburg, where the voice competition takes place at the Mariinsky Theatre.
I was strongly considering contributing to his fundraising appeal a couple months back. I’m glad I didn’t. Utterly shameful.
So you have verified that these allegations are true.
You can really be a prick sometimes!!!!
Now we shall perform the very difficult task of imagening being in another person’s shoes.
If you’re broke, sick and somebody gives you a job, what would you do?
If the answer is refusing it, I simply don’t believe you.
According to CR’s Facebook page, he is in the hospital in NYC…a long distance from Russia.
As someone who contributed to his GoFundMe campaign, I feel let down, if this is true.
They may have promised him a cargo of weapons in return.
What the hell is this inquisition?
Craig is in NYC, and is also a Virtual judge for the competition.
If the Competition chooses to have a virtual judge then so be it.
I would never ask Craig to defend his decision to judge that competition.
Though, I’m ashamed to see the comments of those saying they are glad they didn’t support him simply because of one
If Craig did needed to be a virtual judge in order to help cover remaining health costs, then I shame those who posted saying they are glad they didn’t help him.
That being said I cannot speak to his intentions.
This post is nothing more than a witch hunt.
Go back to posting about actual news.
Shame us or not, it is wrong of him to be part of this competition – sick or not. Get off your high horse. Not everything is excusable because of “health costs.”
Good. Because Valery Gergiev is a good human being who takes care of musicians and singers and colleagues and always has. And because Craig would know what he is listening to. If I were invited I would be on a plane in five minutes. Why? Because opera is worth saving.
First of all, it is quite misleading to call it the Putin-Gergiev Tchaikovsky Competition. Yes, it is run by the Russian ministry of culture but it was founded in 1956 and is simply known as the Tchaikovsky competition. Olga Borodina is on the jury. Do we now hate her too? Do we hate all Russian singers? Should Russian singers be deprived of an opportunity to sing? I deplore the war on Ukraine as much as anyone but it’s not at all clear to me that just because a jerk like Putin is doing these terrible things, it follows that every single cultural activity in Russia is by definition evil. I recognize that it’s complicated but I’m hearing a little too much high horse and knee jerk reaction in this forum.
Putin is much more than a jerk. He’s a murderous autocrat who also has his foot on the neck of his own Russian people. That being the case, I’m not going to judge any Russian who wants to relieve the pressure on his or her neck.
Liz, Putin’s picture & welcome message are on the Competition’s website. It’s basically his competition. He is the chief patron & Gergiev runs it for him. It’s common knowledge.
I remind you the competition has been running since 1956 and undoubtedly other horrific autocrats have promulgated some meaningless welcome message on the website. I think Putin (thankfully,) has enough on his hands right now (coups and so forth, amen) to not be taking time out to be “running” the Tchaikovsky competition, there common knowledge.
Gergiev runs it. Please read what I wrote.
Biased reporting
Free choice if he wishes to go or not
Why didn’t he take out medical insurance ? Didn’t need fundme.com
Sources tell me that he has emerged from the hospital and will present a master class this very evening (6/23) here in New York.
So… he’s judging via Zoom?
Shouldn’t have given him money.
$130K doesn’t go very far in the US healthcare system.
What is he doing? He is getting, very successfully, on the nerves of those that call Tchaikovsky’s competition Putin-Gergiev petition. You have to start partition for the man to be locked up for getting involved in the are instead of warmongering shisophrenia.
Check your facts first before you begin to attempt to defame respected, expert musicians who have dedicated their lives to their craft. It’s 2023. That is NOT hard to do. You literally tried to start a witch hunt. Shame.
Craig Rutenberg gave a fantastic Master Class for Respiro Opera I c last night. What a wonderfully gifted man. He reached each and every student with exactly what they needed. What an honor and privilege to for students and faculty. Thank you Craig! With Love and Gratitude, Barbara-Yoga for Singers
Craig Rutenberg gave a wonderful masterclass for Respiro Opera, NYC on Friday night, June 23rd. Craig is an artiste extraordinaire!
He is in NYC giving a Masterclass at Respiro Opera.
Needs money to get to Moscow via circuitous route..