In an act of Kremlin musical chairs, the Russian leader has reshuffled his Presidential Council for Culture and Art.
Out goes the former Bolshoi chief, Vladimir Urin, who was never much of a Putinist. In comes the bass singer Ildar Abdrazakov, a fanatical loyalist.
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Ugh. (or is it tьфу?)
I hope Ildar does not have any mirrors in his house.
Abdrazakov and others who accept these Putin positions need to really think about their international careers. It would appear they are happy to only perform in limited venues outside of Russia.
Muti is also promoting the Great Putin Bass.
If you missed it, Muti is rehabilitating and promoting Abdrazakov; after partnering with him in the last Ravenna festival, the Italian Stallion unapologetically did it again recently in Japan, as reported by Operawire: https://operawire.com/riccardo-muti-putin-supporter-ildar-abdrazakov-team-up-for-japan-attila/
Muti has “cultural” ties with the Russian criminal regime (like Putin, he is a man of “culture” and “beauty”). He famously let Gergiev conduct his Cherubini orchestra at the Ravenna Festival during the covid lockdown era, a very rare ‘privilege’.
Muti is a recipient of the Russian Order of Friendship award (conferred on him by Putin, and proudly advertised for many years on the Italian Stallion’s biography) and a member of the Russian Academy for the Arts, an honor conferred on him just a few months before the start of the Ukraine war; that is, well after the first Russian invasion of Ukraine and violent annexation of Crimea.
The Russian Academy for the art is presided by Tsereteli, who sculpted a controversial Putin statue inspired – the sculptor declared- by Putin’s “body and soul”.
(https://hum54-15.omeka.fas.harvard.edu/items/show/1112?tags=Tsereteli).
In other words, Muti was completely fine and dandy accepting honors from an institution presided by a Putin sycophant and tied to a criminal regime that invaded and annexed a piece of a free European country in 2014, just like Nazi Germany did.
It’s our loss. He is a good singer
Inexplicably, Teatro di San Carlo still has him cast in two operas in 2025.
What a relief to know that the MET in NY, US, has a calm, objective view on geopolitics, promoting stability and peace in the world. Just like NATO, doing such a great job.
Great baritone whatever his politics are. Too bad we can’t hear him until Gelb gets fired
If it were down to a choice, I’d have to choose mediocracy over mendacity.