Music Institutions Worldwide Cut Ties With Pro-Russian Artists

In the wake of Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, many artists and organizations around the world are now facing repercussions for their continued support for the Russian regime.

The most high-profile case is that of conductor Valery Gergiev, who at the time of writing has lost engagements with the Vienna Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, the Lucerne Festival, and the Verbier Festival.

Gergiev, however, is not the only artist whose pro-Russian sympathies now come with repercussions in the West. New York's Metropolitan Opera recently announced that it would no longer work with any Russian artists or organizations that support Putin. According to General Manager Peter Gelb, the opera house is likely to cancel its planned performance of "Lohengrin" next month, which was to be in collaboration with the Bolshoi Theatre.

"While we believe strongly in the warm friendship and cultural exchange that has long existed between the artists and artistic institutions of Russia and the United States, we can no longer engage with artists or institutions that support Putin or are supported by him — not until the invasion and killing has been stopped, order has been restored, and restitution has been made," said Peter Gelb.

Similarly, Austria's Brucknerhaus Linz has terminated all current and future engagements with cellist Sergei Roldugin, who is known to be Putin's close friend and godfather to Putin's daughter Maria. Furthermore, Rodulgin's name appeared in the Panama Papers, which reported that he earned millions of dollars through various ventures connected to the Russian government.

The Brucknerhaus has also ended its relationship with the Haus der Musik in St Petersburg, which Rodulgin currently manages. Overall, the venue announced that it will cease all engagements with artists and ensembles who "publicly defend the Russian approach," though its director Dietmar Kerschbaum stressed that Russian artists who took the personal and professional risk of denouncing Putin's actions would receive his unreserved support.

"This war is not justified by anything or anyone," wrote the Brucknerhaus Linz in a statement. "Whoever tries this and thus stands on the side of the aggressor and injustice, has no place on the stages of the Brucknerhaus Linz."

The Luxembourg-based International Classical Music Awards (ICMA) have also cut ties with Moscow broadcasting outfit Radio Orpheus, a radio station that is owned and operated by the Russian government. The station is no longer a member of the European Broadcasting Union, which prompted the ICMA to suspend (but not cancel) the station's membership.

"The jury members express their solidarity with the Ukrainian musicians suffering from this war and sincerely hope that peace will be restored in the near future — and the political situation in Russia will allow us to welcome again the Russian colleagues which contributed so much to the success of ICMA," wrote the ICMA in a statement.