Maxim Vengerov sports yellow ribbon for Gaza hostages
OrchestrasThe ex-Russian violinist attached a yellow ribbon to his Strad when playing with the Israel Philharmonic. The 100+ hostages in Gaza are on everyone’s mind.
Our special correspondent Dan Yakir adds: Last week Maxim Vengerov came to Israel for two special concerts with the Israel Philharmonic. Vengerov attached the yellow ribbon to his violin in a call to release the Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. After an exhilarating performance of Sibelius violin concerto with music director Lahav Shani he played as an encore the main theme from “Schindler’s List” by John Williams.
photo: Lili Segal
“Ex-Russian”?
How about the 18000 dead Palestinians (and counting)?
How about a) you stop trusting Hamas-supplied figures, b) understand that, even if you believe these figures, they include the terrorists themselves, and c) understand and maybe even have some sympathy for the fact that Israel was gruesomely attacked in the most savage and depraved manner possible – unprovoked – that resulted in mass-murders including of babies (carried out in the most sadistic ways possible), pregnant women’s stomachs ripped open, mass rapes, and kidnappings, with the abducted most likely being horrendously mistreated and the Red Cross still not being granted access? Most of those attacked were peace activists. Every civilian death in this war is an unbearable tragedy, but 100 per cent to be laid at the door of ISIS-Hamas (and it must be noted that the ratio of civilians to fighters killed, even if we believe Hamas numbers, is significantly better than in most other comparable conflicts around the world in modern history – as a high-ranking American official said the other day, Israel is taking more care than the US would in such circumstances). All Vengerov is doing is expressing sympathy for the innocent people torn from their homes, and in many cases tortured – including a 10-month-old baby. There should be no problem or complication expressing solidarity with that.
Because the Jews can trusted? lol https://www.timesofisrael.com/ny-times-israel-uncovered-vast-hamas-financial-network-in-2018-took-no-action/
God how I miss Barenboim, the only prominent Jewish musician with moral clarity, sincerity and equilibrium, everyone else is performative.
That comment seems pretty racist to me. Tell that to musicians like Igor Levitt, Alexandre Bloch and, yes, Maxim Vengerov, who have all flown in in the middle of an active war – in which Israel is still being bombarded every day by missiles, rockets and attack drones from Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iranian elements in Syria and the Houthis in Yemen – to express solidarity and sympathy after Israel was savagely attacked by the genocidal terrorists of Hamas. You might disagree with their stance (I don’t know why you would) but they and others have proved their sincerity. How many Jewish musicians do you know, precisely? Are they all duplicitous apart from Barenboim?
Igor Levit, lol. You mean the opportunist who uses his Jewishness to silence all criticism (“Antisemitism! I’m broken…”) of his college level playing and never misses a chance to jump on a bandwagon that’s already rolling? What an example.
So, “Moral calrity” means taking the Hamas side? Just got nominated for the Eichman award.
I thought that your types disappeared after 1945. Apparently I was wrong.
When did God die and make you boss ?
Great violinist.
Great heart.
With regards to the Israel Phil, it has apparently been suggested that it should change its name. On October 11 2023, a few days after Hamas massacred thousand of Jews, burned and cut Jewish children in half and raped Jewish girls and women, Muti gave an interview in Sarajevo (where Jews are not exactly popular).
https://www.face.ba/vijesti/bih/ekskluzivno-muti-palestinski-orkestar-postao-izraelska-filharmonija-ovo-vodi-ka-unistenju-svijeta/177778
In this interview, Muti said:
‘The first name (note: of the Israeli Phil), when Toscanini conducted the first concert in 1936 was the “Palestine Orchestra”. I never understood all this. One day you will explain to me, when we have a little more time. And then, a few decades later, for the ceremonial commemoration of that first concert, I was invited by the State of Israel to repeat that same concert and to conduct, as an Italian and as someone who comes from Toscanini’s school, the very same program that was performed under Toscanini’s baton in 1936. So, I still haven’t understood, because I’m not a politician, I repeat, why that orchestra used to be called the “Palestinian Orchestra” and today it’s called the “Israeli Philharmonic.” ‘
If Muti “doesn’t understand” he’s either ignorant of the history of the region or just implying cynically that Israel doesn’t exist. You don’t have to be a politician to be anti Israeli or antisemitic. Hope the Israel Phil never invites him to conduct them again.
Taken at face value, Muti’s comment is a deeply shameful antisemitic comment, masked as fake ignorance in my opinion. Very disingenuous. We also learned from this site that Muti has Putin’s bass and campaigner performing for him in Ravenna.
Jewish donors in America and worldwide, and Carnegie Hall should take notice and think twice before inviting Muti again.
The Israel Phil was created under the British Mandate of what was at the Time Palestine. It had nothing to do with the current philistines in Gaza. It was founded mainly by Jewish refugies who fled Nazism. As one can understand, one can not escape Nazism – both in the middle east and in the comments above.