US judge quits Polish contest over Russian music ban
NewsFrancesca Zambello, director of Washington National Opera, has withdrawn from judging the Karol Szymanowski Competition in Katowice, Poland, following its ban on the performance of Russian music.
Zambello writes:
Dear Magdelena and Anna:
I have just heard from Thomas Hampson about your rules for the exclusion of Russian repertory
from the competition.I am against the actions of President Putin, but I am not against Russian history, music or art.
I am also a recipient of the Medal for Service to Culture to Russia, presented to me by the Minister of Culture.
I am also the artistic leader of the Washington National Opera representing the United States for culture.Bearing these things in mind, I have to respectfully withdraw my participation as much as
I wanted to come to Poland and work with you. I hope when peace prevails we can try again.Kind regards,
Francesca
Kudos to her. I wrote a blog post with a similar theme and titled it, “Tchaikovsky Didn’t Invade Ukraine.”
Indeed he did not. Yet his (and other ruzzian’s) music is used for ruzzian fascist propaganda.
So why not write about that?
Because everyone else is?
He will answer for this at The Hague.
“He will answer”
Hey Clem.
Mi congratulo con Lei per la Sua decisione, Signora Zambello!
Brava!
Good for her. She is not a musician, as far as I know, but is certainly a name easily recognized and prestigious to have on the jury. I hope others follow her lead.
Good. Nice to see someone with morals and a conscience. This demand from Ukrainians to censor even long-dead Russians or those who oppose the war is chilling and dictatorial. Not to mention that anyone following it but not doing so for other warmongering countries is exhibiting disgusting double standards. Well done Francesca Zambello.
I applaud her stand. However, Ms. Zambello has been over-exposed for years, and there are plenty of worthy judges around, many with more musical expertise. Having been involved in projects with Francesca in the past, I say this with love…
No loss. I’m surprised she didn’t read this out over her usual God microphone.
“I am also a recipient of the Medal for Service to Culture to Russia, presented to me by the Minister of Culture”.
Enough said.
Excellent! Are there any other adults in the room?
Bye bye Francesca. As you are not a musician it is not even clear why you were invited to join the jury in the first place.
JS Did you think there were no agents and artistical directors and market lobbyists among jurors in the compeitions?
Who do you think gets the winners and a few other promising talents jobs and marketing coverage? The professors who are not allowed to vote for their own students, and those who refuse to vote for students of rivalling teachers? Remember, there’s always a mob-like hoard behind competitions! Oh, and a sh*tload of politics, of course!
Congratulations ! I hope all the other judges as well as all of the candidates will follow your example !
Moral courage in the classical music industry? Absolutely pleasant to see after 3 years of COVID hysteria.
Unbelievably stupid decision! How could Russian composers of the past know that one day in the future a dictator would invade Ukraine?
Robert Roy, it goes all the way back to the old Zars, pal! When Ukraine was part of the Russian Empire, and later the USSR! 😉
Francesca Zambello is barking up the wrong tree….if she’s a cultural ambassador on behalf of the USA, in a neutral country why does she even have to bring up the topic of politics? I bet zarzuela won’t be sung there and I am certain that no diplomatic conflict will be caused with Spain. If anything she does not defend russian repertoire but rather her prize and most certainly ties with Russia. In any case, she’s made Washington National Opera a provintial opera company, so I doubt anyone would miss her….
So when was WNO anything but a provincial company?
Poland may have banned Russian music, but the US has promoted Ukrainian “culture” by paying for Ukrainian prostitutes to “service” Ukrainian soldiers in hospitals. This is something that Norman would greatly approve, because it is symbolic of his own reprobate mind and his enlighted “Jewish” values. Am I right Norman?
What an appalling, spurious and utterly irrelevant comment.
Kudos to Mr Lebrecht for publishing it.
Fully support the decision.
Well said.
Since this competition lost all integrity by changing the rules two weeks before the start, his step seems the only decent and logical one to take.
“his step”
Hey Dmitri. 😀
Good! Hopefully the other adequate jury members follow this example
Courageous decision by Francesca Zambello, brava! The rest of the jury members should withdraw as well. Banning culture is counter productive.
Excuse my ignorance but is this a competition of performers or of new compositions?
Poland and Russia have a very long history of enmity going back to at least the 17th century. The overthrow of Communism there by the Solidarity movement in the 1970s was largely related to this.
Of course, now they are concerned that if their neighbor Ukraine is conquered Poland could be next.
Does this mean that Russian works should be excluded? From the ethical perspective, in my opinion, if the contest is of performers, no. If it is a contest of new compositions, maybe.
From the pragmatic perspective, however, there are other considerations. Apart from the philosophic issue of whether politics should influence art, the Polish cultural ministry would face popular criticism, or criticism from Polish legislators, or both, especially if it is sponsoring the competition and if the performer playing a Russian piece, or the Russian piece itself, is a winner. If he/she/ it is not a winner many will wonder whether politics played a role and the thus the integrity of prize will be questioned.
If the competition is of performers, which is likely, a competent performer can play something else. From the government’s perspective it’s not worth it to take a more principled stand.
Sharon, communism in Poland fell in 1989, not in the 1970s.
Finally, someone with brains and integrity from western countries. Too many brainless zombies.
Why should a non-musician judge over musicians in the first place? Politics suit her and her role much better
It is not my intention to defend one side or the other. I have no dog on this fight. But has anyone ever thought about the abuses and crimes commited by Ukranian soldiers to Russian soldiers, who’s only sin is to have enlisted in the army as a job? With all the sophisticades weaponry provided by NATO to Ukraine, Ukranians aren’t exactly little angels flying around. If Russia were that big potent country we are made to believe it is, how come this war has lasted so long? Anyone thought about that? (I’m speaking in human terms, not political)
As SS-general Stroop complained while liquidating Warsaw ghetto in 1943 : those Jewish bastards killed again my brave, innocent boys.
The Russians are of course brave, innocent boys, who’s ONLY sin is to have enlisted in the army.
A rarely heinous comment.
“I am also a recipient of the Medal for Service to Culture to Russia, presented to me by the Minister of Culture.”
Translation: “I got a medal for being a useful idiot and a Putin stooge.”
Wiki:
“She attended Moscow University in 1976”
=> KGB (now FSB) asset.