Pianist Vestards Šimkus has expressed his opinion on the restrictions that affect people who choose not to be vaccinated against Covid-19 at a concert at the Riga Festival.
Šimkus’s speech was republished on the Facebook page of his social network.
“Dear listeners! Of course, it is a pleasure for me to play music in person after a break of several months. But this joy is overshadowed by the fact that I am still waiting for the time when listeners will not be sorted and discriminated against just because they voluntarily refuse to inject what is not and should not be mandatory because it is experimental.
History – especially that of the 20th century – has already shown us what “forced voluntary” measures and the idea of sorting people usually end. And let us remember that history is a chain of various events separated by time but related to each other.
Historical parallels are also the central theme of this concert program, which consists of music from different eras and different composers, with the help of which I try to emphasize what unites them, not separates them from each other, “says the pianist.
In the comments, meanwhile, people both support and condemn the pianist’s views and condemn them.
“Very pleasant! The artist expressed his personal thoughts, justified his choice of music and gave a performance in this context! Definitely support! Ostriches put their heads in the sand and robots go after the program. Others think they have feelings, waist and confidence,” says the commentator.
“How strange that so many hysterical and vulgar attacks on what was not said at all! Thank you for saying what a lot of people both think and feel!” – indicates the commentator.
“How easy it is for everyone to say ‘thank you’ for a comfortable opinion, but who has no scientific basis. Remember to say thank you to Vestard and the other members of this slag when the children have homework, when they can’t go to concerts at all … and especially when “You will know who the heroes of the people are and who to claim benefits from. Not from the state,” says the author of the comment.
“It is very unfortunate that medical advances remind you of totalitarianism. The honest vaccinators present did not deserve such parallels. It is a great disappointment in terms of your priorities,” he said.
Vestards Šimkus is a Latvian pianist and composer. As a pianist, he has won prizes in several international music competitions, as well as twice received the Latvian Grand Music Prize.
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