Russian conductor Valery Gergiev is poised to make a controversial return to the European stage as he is scheduled to perform at the Un'Estate da RE festival in the Campania region of southern Italy later this month. Gergiev, who has served as a chief conductor of both the Bolshoi and Mariinsky theatres, has faced exclusion from European orchestras since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Despite never denouncing the war, he is now being welcomed back, a decision that has sparked considerable backlash.
Vincenzo de Luca, the regional governor of Campania, has defended the invitation, stating that cultural events should not be shaped by political agendas. "Culture… must not be influenced by politics and political logic," De Luca asserted in a livestream address, emphasizing that artists should not be held accountable for their governments' actions.
However, Gergiev's return has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters, including European Parliament vice-president Pina Picierno, who branded his performance as "absolutely unacceptable." Picierno regards Gergiev as a "cultural mouthpiece for Putin and his crimes," further criticizing the invited performance as hypocrisy rather than neutrality.
Russian opposition activists have voiced their condemnation as well; prominent organizations such as the Anti-Corruption Foundation are campaigning for the concert's cancellation, urging Italy’s interior ministry to bar Gergiev from entering the country. This reaction highlights an ongoing belief that Gergiev's role extends beyond that of a mere musician but fits within the cultural strategies employed by the Kremlin to influence Western perspectives.
Prior to the war, Gergiev enjoyed a prominent career across European stages, but that abruptly halted in February 2022 after he chose not to speak against the invasion while performing at Milan's La Scala. His subsequent fallout from European orchestras and his dismissal from several high-profile engagements left him largely ostracized.
Despite support for his return from some Italian politicians, including members of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's party, the invitation has been met with skepticism amid Italy's commitment to supporting Ukraine. Meloni herself has been a strong critic of Putin; however, her culture ministry remains a supporter of the festival backing Gergiev's concert.
Canada has already imposed a ban on Gergiev, and while the European Union has not sanctioned him, they have urged performance spaces to refrain from hosting artists who support the aggression against Ukraine. In the Campania region, the artistic director responsible for the festival's programming has remained resolute about Gergiev's performance taking place, indicating an unwavering commitment amid the surrounding controversy.
