Valery Gergiev (Photo: Marco Borggreve/Decca)
NEW YORK (AP) — Munich Mayor Dieter Reiter has threatened to remove Valery Gergiev as chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic unless Gergiev publicly says by Monday that he does not support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra also said it would drop the 68-year-old Russian’s planned festival there this September if he does not stop supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin. In addition, the Royal Opera House on Friday canceled a planned tour to London by Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet. Gergiev is close to Putin and supported Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
3/2/22 Update: Both the Munich Philharmonic and the Rotterdam Philharmonic have cut ties with Valery Gergiev.
This article has been updated to include the news from the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the news of the cancellation of performances by the Bolshoi Ballet.
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