Elisabeth Leonskaja’s recital scheduled for 4 December at the Muziekgebouw Eindhoven has been cancelled, after the Dutch venue concluded that her recent performances in Moscow may place her too close to Russian institutional interests during the war in Ukraine. The organisation states that its decision follows the guidelines of the VSCD (Association of Theatre and Concert Hall Directors), which limit the participation of Russian and Belarusian artists who could be perceived as supporting the invasion.
Reasons given by the venue
In a public statement, the Muziekgebouw describes Leonskaja’s situation as “complex”. Although she was born in Soviet Georgia, has lived in Vienna since 1978, and holds Austrian citizenship, the venue notes that she recently performed in Moscow at a theatre that has made free tickets available to members of the Russian army and their families. While the VSCD rules state that artists should not be required to publicly distance themselves from their governments due to safety concerns, the institution says that “the circumstances leave us no choice” but to cancel the event. It adds that the “sadness caused by the war in Ukraine” remains its primary concern.
Background on Leonskaja
Born in Tbilisi into a family of Russian-Jewish heritage with roots in Odesa, Leonskaja studied at the Moscow Conservatory and gained international recognition after winning prizes at the Long-Thibaud and Queen Elisabeth competitions. She left the Soviet Union in 1978 and settled in Vienna, where she has developed a long international career. Throughout the decades, she has consistently avoided making political statements.
Reactions and broader context
The cancellation follows reports of Leonskaja’s performances in Moscow this month, including a concert conducted by Yuri Bashmet, who has previously expressed support for the Russian authorities. The Eindhoven decision has sparked debate within the classical-music sector as cultural institutions continue to navigate politically sensitive cancellations linked both to the war in Ukraine and to tensions in the Middle East.
In recent months, several European institutions have faced protests and programming challenges related to the Middle East conflict, including demonstrations surrounding performances by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and its music director Lahav Shani. Other artists have encountered pressure or cancellations due to their perceived political associations. Earlier in the Ukraine conflict, figures such as Anna Netrebko and Valery Gergiev saw engagements withdrawn across Europe because of their ties to the Russian authorities.
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