This week, the Munich Philharmonic sacked its chief conductor Valery Gergiev for refusing to publicly denounce Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. A longtime supporter of the Russian president, the 68-year-old stuck to his guns and ignored the Munich mayor’s ultimatum that he should “clearly and indisputably distance himself from the brutal war of assault,” or lose his job.
An internationally celebrated conductor, Gergiev had been working with the German state-funded orchestra since 2015 and had been an advisor to other international music festivals and ensembles. Gergiev also lost his position as musical director of Switzerland’s Verbier Festival Orchestra and the Edinburgh International Festival; his five-city concert tour with the Vienna Philharmonic was also canceled.
The takeaway
Delving into personal politics at work is murky terrain, but the gravity of the Russia-Ukraine crisis can make things seem more black and white. In the past, Gergiev’s career flourished despite his loyalty to Putin. He openly supported Russia’s annexation of Crimea and he undermined artists who opposed the Russian president.
