La Scala asked Valery Gergiev to clarify his position on Ukraine

The famous Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, also known for his closeness to Russian President Vladimir Putin, was asked by La Scala in Milan to clarify his position on the invasion of Ukraine, AFP reported, quoted by BTA.

On Wednesday, Gergiev conducted the premiere of Tchaikovsky’s “Lady of the Spades” at La Scala.

The director of the Opera House, Dominique Mayer, and the mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, have sent a message to the Russian maestro asking him to make a statement calling for a “peaceful solution” to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. In case of refusal, the conductor’s participation in the next performances of “Lady of the Spades” between March 5 and 13 may be compromised.

Valery Gergiev And Sofia Philharmonic with a concert in support of the construction of new acoustic hall

–

Giuseppe Sala, who is also chairman of La Scala’s board of directors, warned publicly on Thursday that if he did not receive an answer, “we can find another conductor” for the next performances, BTA reports.

The director of the prestigious Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, 68-year-old Valery Gergiev, is one of the most sought-after conductors in the world.

His closeness to Russian President Putin, with whom he has known since 1992, his declarations on the annexation of Crimea or the Pussy Paradise appearances, concerts in bombed-out South Ossetia and Palmyra, Syria, have earned him mixed reviews in recent years. .

Asked by AFP in Paris in 2018, Gergiev said he did not want to talk about politics, but welcomed Putin’s re-election for a new presidential term.