Sawt Falasteen - Italy concert of pro-Putin conductor Gergiev cancelled

Gergiev has not condemned Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, a stance for which he was fired from the Munich Philharmonic in March 2022. He has not played a concert in Europe since.

"The Directorate of the Royal Palace of Caserta has ordered the cancellation of the symphony concert conducted by Valery Gergiev, scheduled as part of the Un'Estate da Re festival for July 27," the palace said in a statement.

It gave no official reason for the cancellation.

The scheduled concert in the 18th century palace near Naples -- now a museum -- had caused a heated debate in Italy, with Ukraine condemning the move and Russia's exiled opposition calling for protests.

The team of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny welcomed the cancellation on social media with a "Hurrah!".

"Putin's pals should not be touring around Europe like nothing happened," they said in a statement.

Italy's culture minister said last week that the event risked turning into a "platform for Russian propaganda."

Gergiev, recognised as one of the world's leading maestros, has for years been a vocal supporter of Putin's long rule and famously played a 2016 concert in the ruins of Syria's Palmyra after its capture by Russian-backed Syrian forces.

He has stayed silent on the Ukraine invasion and mostly out of the public eye since 2022.

Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February, 2022.

C.Hamad--SF-PST