Bachler criticizes the expulsion of Russian artists
Culture
The expulsion of the Russian conductor Valery Gergiev as head of the Munich Philharmonic is “impossible”. And the way organizers and the media deal with singer Anna Netrebko is a “witch hunt,” says Nikolaus Bachler, future director of the Salzburg Easter Festival. He vehemently criticizes the pressure on artists who do not speak out against Putin.
In this context, in a conversation with the Austria Press Agency (APA), Bachler sharply criticized the Mayor of Munich, Dieter Reiter (SPD). The politician had recently given the conductor Gergiev, who had been acclaimed for years, an ultimatum for a statement against Putin – and fired the Russian without notice because of his silence.
Strong criticism of “Cancel Culture”
The future head of the Salzburg Easter Festival emphasizes that Mayor Reiter hired Gergiev and recently celebrated his contract extension. He also said that the man would be lucky for Munich: “As far as that is concerned, nothing has changed. Mr. Putin started a ghastly war. But I think it’s absolutely hypocritical to say now, ‘We’ll wash our hands and we’ll throw out the man we just got on the same terms.’”
“Moral attitude of some houses horrible”
The singer Anna Netrebko, who is celebrated in large parts of the world and also in Salzburg, has recently come under criticism from various circles because, as an artist, she rejects political statements. The fact that she is against all wars, as she said, is not enough for some.
Bachler defends Netrebko: “I think this witch hunt is fatal that artists now have to make political statements. I find it horrible that many houses now want to show such a moral attitude.”
He himself would certainly hire Netrebko again: “We can’t offer her anything programmatically at the moment, but basically yes.”
Easter Festival: Realignment from 2023
After ten years with conductor Christian Thielemann as artistic director at Salzburg’s Easter Festival, the festival is to be realigned under Nikolaus Bachler from next year. For the first time there is electronic music, dance and a subscription that is reduced by a third. In addition, the orchestra should change every year – more on this in salzburg.ORF.at (March 17, 2020)
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