Concert of "Putin's friend" Gergiev canceled in Italy

The administration of the Royal Palace in Caserta has canceled a symphony concert led by Russian Valery Gergiev, which was to take place as part of the Un'Estate da RE festival on July 27 in the Campania region. This was reported by the agency ANSA.

The presence of a conductor from the Russian Federation, who is criticized for supporting Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, caused a heated debate. In addition, concerns were expressed about possible protests organized by Ukrainian organizations.

Recent statements against Gergiev's concert have come from several Nobel Prize winners who have sent letters to the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the Italian authorities.

An online petition to cancel the performance gathered 16,000 signatures. Culture Minister Alessandro Giulli also weighed in, emphasizing that "art is free and cannot be censored," but "propaganda, even when done with talent, is another matter." In his opinion, Gergiev's concert would risk "sending the wrong message.".

At the same time, the president of the Campania region, Vincenzo De Luca, who initiated the concert, called the situation "disturbing," questioning "where the line between freedom of speech and propaganda lies".

Ukrainian organizations in Italy were ready to hold protests and had already purchased tickets to the front rows of the concert to make Gergiev feel disagreed with.

• On July 15, it was reported that a controversy had broken out in Italy around Gergiev's concert. The country's Minister of Culture fears propaganda.
• Gergiev maintains close ties with representatives of the Russian government and political elites of the aggressor state, receiving significant business and legal benefits from these ties. Since 2022, he has been under Ukrainian sanctions.
• Despite his proximity to Putin, the conductor has been a regular guest on the stages of Italy and other European countries. However, since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he has not participated in events in European countries.