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The Orchestre symphonique de Montr\u00e9al (OSM) has withdrawn Alexander Malofeev, a young 20-year-old Russian pianist, from three upcoming performances.<\/p>\n
Malofeev, who lives in Moscow, is currently in Montreal to perform on March 9, 10, and 13 under the leadership of acclaimed American conductor Michael Tilson Thomas.<\/p>\n
He had been slated to perform Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Opus 26. The fact that the work was from a Russian composer born in present-day eastern Ukraine may have also played a role in the cancellation.<\/p>\n
Officials from the OSM issued a statement stating that Malofeev’s performance this week would be incompatible with their mission.<\/p>\n
\u201cConsidering the serious impact on the civilian population of Ukraine caused by the Russian invasion, the OSM must announce the withdrawal of pianist Alexander Malofeev from performances of the concert, Michael Tilson Thomas: Monumental<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n The orchestra suggested it would have been inappropriate to move forward with the concert, considering what is happening in Ukraine. They added that they \u201clook forward to welcoming this exceptional artist when the context allows it\u201d.<\/p>\n The OSM has since re-programmed the concert with works by Brahms, Grieg, and Schubert.<\/p>\n Besides pianist Alexander Malofeev, Anna Netrebko<\/a> and Valery Gergiev<\/a> have also had events cancelled.<\/p>\n Malofeev has expressed his dismay over the Russian aggression towards Ukraine on Facebook<\/a> on a number of occasions.<\/p>\n “The truth is that every Russian will feel guilty for decades because of the terrible and bloody decision that none of us could influence and predict,” he wrote in a post dated March 2, 2022.<\/p>\n In another post dated March 7, he wrote, \u201cI do understand that my problems are very insignificant compared to those of people in Ukraine, including my relatives who live there. The most important thing now is to stop the blood. All I know is that the spread of hatred will not help in any way, but only cause more suffering.\u201d<\/p>\n Today he took to Facebook again to apologize to the audience for the cancellation, which he said was due to \u201cpolitical reasons\u201d.<\/p>\n Leila Getz, the artistic director\u00a0of The Vancouver Recital Society, experienced online backlash for her decision to cancel a performance of Malofeev this week. Concerned about the message it would send by holding the concert and the possibility of being confronted by Ukrainian protesters, she decided not to go through with it.<\/p>\n In a statement to the Vancouver Sun<\/em> she said she is \u201c\u2026not a bigot. I care deeply about Alexander Malofeev, but I feel more comfortable doing this than I do bringing him to Vancouver. I feel like I\u2019m damned if I do, damned if I don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n National Review<\/em> music critic Jay Nordlinger was also among those critical of the cancellations.<\/p>\n In a statement<\/a> from the former Canadian Opera Company general director and now Paris Opera head, Alexander Neef, also expressed concern. \u201cYou can\u2019t just put everybody under general suspicion now. You can\u2019t demand declarations of allegiance or condemnations of what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n Our coverage of the cancellation via Ludwig van Montr\u00e9al<\/a><\/em> on Facebook has been flooded with comments<\/a> debating the issue.<\/p>\nDoes Malofeev support the Russian invasion?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Not everyone agrees with vetting artists for their political views<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nThis isn\u2019t the first time artists have been cancelled in Canada for political reasons<\/strong><\/h3>\n