Valery Gergiev
(c) Cami/LSO/Alberto Venzago
The mayor of Milan and the superintendent of Milan’s opera house La Scala have asked Russian conductor Valery Gergiev to condemn the Russian invasion in Ukraine, otherwise his engagements in March will be cancelled.
The Mayor Beppe Sala declared: « We are asking Maestro Valery Gergiev who has repeatedly declared his closeness to Putin, to take a precise position against this invasion and if he does not do so we would be forced to give up the collaboration. » Sala is also president of the Teatro alla Scala Foundation.
Italian media say that after the attack by the Russian army on Ukraine, the superintendent of La Scala, Dominique Meyer, in agreement with Mayor Sala, sent a message to the Russian maestro asking him to make a statement in which he hopes for a peaceful resolution. The friend and supporter of Vladimir Putin,yesterday made his debut in Milan with The Queen of Spades. Now the theater is waiting for his answer. In case of denial, a replacement will be sought for the next performances.
