Russia and the Salzburg Festival: Can Teodor Currentzis perform in Salzburg? | News and criticism | BR CLASSIC

Just last week, a concert by the Russian-Greek conductor Teodor Currentzis in Vienna was canceled. The reason: Currentzis has not yet taken a clear stand against the Ukraine war. Also, his orchestra MusicAeterna is managed by a Russian bank that is on the sanctions list. What effects this could have on the Salzburg Festival.

The Russian-Greek conductor Teodor Currentzis is actually supposed to appear with the MusicAeterna Choir at the Salzburg Festival next summer. But the Ukrainian ambassador to Austria, Wassyl Chymynez, criticized the planned concert. In an interview with the Austrian Kronen Zeitung he says it would be an “inhumane signal” if Russia were given such a stage at the Salzburg Festival. Just last week, the ambassador asked that no Russian artists be involved in benefit concerts in favor of Ukraine. The Wiener Konzerthaus then canceled a planned benefit concert with Teodor Currentzis and MusicAeterna.

Director of the Salzburg Festival holds a Currentzis

Markus Hinterhäuser, the director of the Salzburg Festival, is still sticking with Currentzis. Hinterhäuser told the APA news agency that he wanted to when the time came. However, immediately after the start of the war in the Ukraine he spoke out on a general exclusion of Russian artists. “There are an incredible number of artists who really have nothing to do with this war,” he said in an ORF2 interview in early March. “We can’t levy general sanctions against Russian artists because they have a Russian passport, because they were born there, because they grew up there. Where are we getting there?”

In March, Markus Hinterhäuser left open the question of whether Currentzis and MusicAeterna will perform in Salzburg. At the time he said it would be looked into honestly. One should also see how Currentzis himself will behave in the matter. So far he’s been silent.

Art and culture as part of Putin’s propaganda

The Ukrainian Ambassador Chymynez is disappointed with those responsible for the Salzburg Festival. Art, culture and sport are important parts of Russia’s politics and therefore important elements of propaganda, he says. And through his silence, Currentzis is part of it. If the Salzburg Festival doesn’t understand this, those responsible run the risk of losing their self-esteem.

A society of Russian friends has been supporting the Salzburg Festival since 2013. | Image source: Luigi Caputo

Does Russia possibly have too much influence on the Salzburg Festival? The press office of the festival gives a brief, written answer: they don’t have any Russian sponsors, but a company of the Russian Friends of the Salzburg Festival, who have been supporting the festival financially for years, would ask for it. But director Hinterhäuser warns in the ORF2 interview to keep a cool head. “I can’t put the Russians with whom we founded this association of friends under an imaginary scanner and demand an anti-Putin test. That won’t work.” Attention is required now.

The influence of the Russian VAC Foundation on the festival

In addition to the Society of Russian Friends, the Salzburg Festival also works with the Russian VAC Foundation. The founder of the foundation is the oligarch Leonid Michelson, who is also the CEO of the Russian energy company Novatek. Michelson himself is being sanctioned by the West. Director Markus Hinterhäuser commented on him and his foundation in the Salzburger Nachrichten: They will examine everything very carefully and draw the conclusions from it.

Project-related sponsorship was actually planned with the Russian energy giant Gazprom in 2020. However, this did not take place because of Corona. According to the Salzburg Festival, the contract has been terminated. On the other hand, it is still unclear how things will continue with the VAC Foundation and Currentzis – and will probably remain so for a while.

Broadcast: “Leporello” on April 20, 2022 from 4:05 p.m. on BR-KLASSIK