Press release of the Academy: “On October 10, at a meeting of the Royal Academy of Music, a decision was made to exclude Valery Gergiev from foreign membership.”

“He was expelled for refusing to speak out against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. It was a position the Academy had requested, given his well-known close relationship with Vladimir Putin. The decision was made after careful analysis at the initiative of the academy’s board.”

The academy recalled that they played an active role in supporting Ukraine since the beginning of the war through contacts with colleagues from other musical institutions in Sweden to coordinate the reception of Ukrainian musicians and students in the field. He also started collecting funds for the reconstruction of musical life in Ukraine.

The academy also said: “The united Western world opposes Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as does the Royal Academy of Music. The fact that Gergiev does not oppose the invasion from his position of international brilliance, influence and reputation is very serious, especially given his close relationship with the Putin regime.”

Fredrik Wetterqvist, Secretary of the Academy, added:

“The preparation of this decision was very important and required some time. Freedom of speech is guaranteed in Sweden, but this situation is unique. The Academy cannot be associated with a person who clearly supports a nuclear-dangerous regime. We will not adopt the same strategy as Valery Gergiev, that is, silence.”

Gergiev was elected a member of the Academy in 2011 for his musical merits. This is the last exclusion of the Russian conductor. He was also dismissed from his posts in Verbier, Rotterdam and Munich, and is forbidden to appear in the West.

And recently, his concerts in Japan were canceled. Since the beginning of the war, Gergiev has been intensively conducting in Russia, where he is the music director of the Mariinsky Theater.

Source: Opera Wire