Lyniv tells Vienna: It’s me, or Currentzis
OrchestrasThe Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv has told the Vienna Festival she won’t perform in the same framework as the Kremlin-backed Greek conducto Teodor Currentzis.
‘I won’t answer for 150 musicians coming from a war zone to be placed in context with Currentzis,’ she told Axel Brüggemann.
Lyniv is due to perform “Babyn Jar” by Jevhen Stankovych with the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra in the festival while Currentzis conducts Britten’s War Requiem with the SWR orchestra.
At last, a conductor with integrity.
Yes at last. Good for her for standing her ground amid a business plagued by corruption, opportunism, dishonesty and, last but not least, despair.
One could add cynicism: the Vienna Festival is actually selling a “Requiem Abo” (a Requiem subscription) pairing Lyniv’s concert with Currentzis’s.
So I think she does have reason to object. And Brian’s comment below — that she is a “virtue-signaling non-entity” attacking in order to promote her own career — is unfair.
Separately, Currentzis is conducting the War Requiem in June in Stuttgart, Freiburg, Dortmund and Hamburg,
as well as Vienna, to close out his SWR tenure.
She is a toughy and this is her way to conduct. Hmmm….did not like her Chenier…..and more. But it is hard to tell what to do.
Her Medea in Berlin last July was excellent.
We stand with Ukraine. Always.
Forget Ukraine. Currentzis is a fraud, a Potemkin village of a conductor.
Interesting that Babi Yar and the Requiem are two of the most profound anti-war works ever written. And each conducted by a conductor from the opposing side from the two composers.
Whoever booked Currentzis to perform the War Requiem has a particularly warped sense of humour.
Leave it to Austria. johnw
The Austrians even lured Putin’s friends to sponsor the Salzburg Festival only Covid turned it around – the former overrated President never said anything after – pathetic this woman has always been – hypocrite
Actually a very good combination — Mr. P provides the dead, Mr. C does the Requiem.
Currentzis is coward, vain without end, not a very talented conductor, but at least an interesting artist. She is stupid, a very bad conductor, not a good musician, has only made her career with outside help, and is insanely uptight. i could very well do without her.
She has integrity where talent is actually required. Maybe that’s mean, but I am sick of these virtue-signaling non-entities who attack others in order to promote their own careers. If there wasn’t a war in Ukraine, no one would know or care who she is.
Not Shostakovich – “Babyn Jar” by Jevhen Stankovych.
https://www.festwochen.at/kaddish-requiem
It would be great if this courageous and ethical stance was applied to musicians from all countries.
So let’s see… Say, what is the current legal status of the US troops in Syria? UNO mandate, invitation by government? No? Only some US-defined arguments and US laws? Sorry, that’s not enough; by the definitions of international law, the USA is an aggressor and occupier in Syria.
Which means: sorry, musicians from anywhere who perform in the USA, or are employed or funded by US organizations: you’re not welcome to play anywhere outside the USA for the time being. Same applies to musicians from USA; unless, of course, they publicly denounce their government.
(Actually, I wonder why this hasn’t been applied since long, just think Afghanistan, Libya, and so on and so on. The US are a bit of a serial offender.)
There are of course more countries who blatantly violate international law. But one can’t do everything at once. We started with Russia, we continue with USA, then we expand to the next rogue country — let’s go step by step.
I anticipate strong support from all the commenters here. Surely no one wants to admit to being a hypocrite?
If she chooses to politicize music, she should step aside. Will anyone miss her?
A conductor who does not care for art or music, only herself.
Next, please.
Good for integrity. Good for morals. BUT promoters are about selling tickets and making money. Who sells more tickets – Currentzis or Lyniv? That’s how it will be determined.
I prefer Currentzis
She is such a boring conductor
And of course she makes her Met debut on 2/28….
Just what you expect !! Gelb should have hired his wife, a much better conductor. I guess I will wait until Marco Armiliato takes over in May to see Turandot
GOOD ON HER!!!
Currentzis “conducting” the War Req… what a cruel joke.