Russian pianist invites LVSO to assess Lithuania’s mistakes: “He does not play for political reasons”
Fans of the famous Russian pianist Nikolai Luganskis, who had concerts at the National Philharmonic at the weekend, did not receive it in Lithuania. Supposedly due to trauma.
However, last week, just a few days before the scheduled concert, a wave of outrage broke out in Lithuania.
It turns out the famous pianist has performed in the occupied territory of Donetsk, Ukraine, five years ago. He is planning another concert in Donetsk this October. In addition, N. Luganskis spoke to the Kremlin’s propaganda speaker “Novorosija” about television in the Donbas.
“A small layer is currently funding conflicts and hostility. I don’t interact with people like that. But if such people want to take my music away from the people of Europe or America for a while, it will be tragicomic, but I don’t think it will happen, “says pianist Nikolai Luganskis.
Apparently, N. Luganskis predicted the future for himself. Laurynas Kasčiūnas, the Chairman of the National Security and Defense Committee of the Seimas, calls for him to be included in the lists of undesirable persons in Lithuania.
“We, as a state, are incorporating the code of honor of the same name. If our allies, our friends, are dancing on the bones of people who have died, in other words, there are legitimate occupations and annexations and various performers contribute to it, it is natural that we, as a state, return to decide whether such people can perform in Lithuania and earn money. ” , says Seimas member L. Kasčiūnas.
The history of N. Luganskis was also taken over by the Minister of Culture. He tells the heads of concert halls that they must have something to invite to Lithuania to perform.
“Modern Lithuania has nothing to do with censorship and the ministry cannot go back to the time that was in Soviet times, when the ministry specified what the repertoire should be and what should be performed and artists should be invited,” says Minister of Culture Simonas Kairys.
The minister says he will not expand the list of unwanted individuals, but calls on both the ministry and special services, such as the Department of Homeland Security, to consult with event organizers due to concerns.
“There must be a mechanism so that the institution can turn somewhere at any time, easily explained, but we must act like a civilized state and cannot spread the message that in Lithuania, in order to get on stage, you have to pass a special services filter,” the minister assured.
However, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, which invited pianist N. Luganskis to Lithuania, continues to claim that he values him as an exceptional artist, and that he has not studied his biographies.
“It simply came to our notice then. We do not consider this a mistake. We didn’t know the biography. He, as an artist, as an art ambassador, does not choose countries, he just plays for people, he does not play for political reasons. He plays for artistic motives, ”says Stasys Pancekauskas, the orchestra’s director.
Political scientists and representatives of other cultural institutions have a slightly different opinion.
“This soloist would like to be prevented much more widely and at the level of the European Union, because he really performs in all European capitals. Constantly, ”says Rūta Prusevičienė, the head of the Philharmonic, and adds that the condition that the performer is just a concert in Donetsk, Crimea, is a good decision not to let him.
“We have also cliché many times not to mix culture and politics. It makes me smile. Because, first of all, the same bag Putin’s regime, purposefully put a cultural figure on the political agenda. This is an essential part of the Kremlin’s soft power, “said political scientist Nerijus Maliukevičius.
However, a representative of non-governmental organizations helping to strengthen Lithuania’s defense capabilities says that after such famous performers of the regime’s propaganda as Filip Kirkorov, Oleg Gazmanov or Grigory Leps, the Kremlin changed tactics.
“Efforts are being made to attract other, less knowledgeable performers, but still serving the same propaganda machine,” assures the public figure Audrius Skaistys.
By the way, this month you will have three concerts of the Patriarchal Men’s Choir of the Danila Monastery in Moscow and Kaunas. Public figures call him simpler – the Kremlin choir. However, in the event of this scandal, the event organizers postponed it.
For the full reportage, watch the video that contains the first one.