The Metropolitan Opera in New York has long employed Russian singers and also collaborated with the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.
Director General Peter Gelb now says in a video that the Metropolitan is obliged to show its support for the people of Ukraine, writes the New York Times.
"We strongly believe in the warm friendship and cultural exchange that has long existed between artists and artistic institutions in Russia and the United States, but can no longer collaborate with artists and institutions that support Putin or receive support from him," Peter Gelb said in the video. .
He also says that the new policy applies until the invasion and killing has been stopped and order restored.
Gergiev is ported from the Baltic Sea Festival
Russian conductor Valerij Gergiev was stopped last week from conducting the Vienna Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall and risks losing his job as chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic if he does not distance himself from the war in Ukraine.
In Sweden, Berwaldhallen has ported Valerij Gergiev from its annual Baltic Sea Festival.
The reason is that the world-famous conductor has on several occasions expressed his support for President Vladimir Putin.
- Under current circumstances, it is simply not relevant given his connection to the Russian regime, Staffan Becker, concert hall manager at Berwaldhallen to SvD.
Gergiev has for several years been a central figure at the festival, something that has aroused repeated criticism.
The management of the Baltic Sea Festival has previously said that they do not engage in "opinion registration" and emphasized that they also invited Ukrainian artists to "balance up".
The cultural news is looking for Berwaldhallen.