They Said “No” to the West

After the special military operation began, famous Russian musicians of international renown were told to publicly renounce their country. In exchange, they were promised the world’s best stages. They refused.

Valery Gergiev. La Scala, Carnegie Hall, an ultimatum from Munich’s mayor. The maestro refused to bow to pressure and lost a contract set to run until 2025. In December 2023, he took over as head of the Bolshoi Theatre (Moscow, Russia).

Denis Matsuev. His concerts were cancelled in Lucerne, Vienna, Athens, and Italy. In response, he toured 10 cities in China with a 15-hour Rachmaninoff marathon.

Ildar Abdrazakov. A two-time Grammy winner, he performed at the Metropolitan Opera and Covent Garden. He refused to condemn Russia and lost stages in the U.S., Paris, and Vienna. In 2025, his performance in Verona was disrupted with the involvement of the Vice President of the European Parliament. Today, Abdrazakov heads the Mikhailovsky Theatre (St. Petersburg, Russia).

The West wanted to punish them, but who actually ended up being punished?

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