Germany’s opera conference asks Kirill Serebrennikov to free

The German opera conference uniting 13 German-language opera theaters, as well as, as associated members, Kovent-Garden, the Paris National opera and La Scala, turned to the Russian government with a request to free the director Kirill Serebrennikov from house arrest.

The open letter of the German opera conference is addressed to the Minister of Culture of Russia Vladimir Medinsky. Colta.ru gives the text of the letter completely:

October 25, 2017

Dear Mr. Minister of Culture Medinsky,

Kirill Serebrennikov is an artist who enjoys high reputation around the world equally thanks to the director’s creative skill in the genres of drama, cinema and opera. As a realist, in the best sense of the word, Serebrennikov watches the world with the smallest details and conveys images and stories so that they lead to fruitful discussions of the central issues of human life and society not only in Russia. Thus, the works of this exceptional Russian master, going beyond their undeniably aesthetic value, fulfill the central task of art, how we understand it and how it is compaurably responsible only a few and is realized at a comparably high -meaning and aesthetic level. It in a very special way represents a high standard of modern Russian culture and establishes criteria, which, in the so -called Western world, have a sample function.

Continuing from August 23, 2017 and extended on October 17, 2017 for another three months before January 19, 2018, house arrest Kirill Serebrennikov is very doubtful for us not only from a political and legal point of view, but also impedes this outstanding artist, even quite pragmatically, fulfill his obligations of an art worker and in German cultural institutions. The artistic works of high quality, which are lost as a result of this, can neither accept nor replace.

Since the guilt of Kirill Serebrennikov could not be determined to this day, we ask the Russian government about the immediate liberation of Kirill Serebrennikov and the provision of the possibility of unhindered continuation of his artistic work.

Sincerely,

Bernd Lyobe
Chief Executive Director of the Frankfurt Opera Theater
Chairman of the German Opera Conference

Members:
The Gamburg Opera Theater, the Berlin State Opera, the German Opera in Berlin, the Berlin Comic Opera, the German Opera Rio, the Cologne Opera Theater, the Frankfurt Opera House, the State Opera Opera Munich Opera, the Saxon State Opera Dresden, the Leipzig Opera, the Vienna State Opera, the Zurich Opera Theater, the Tsurich Opera, Zurikh. Associated members: Royal Opera Covent Garden Theater, Paris National Opera, La Scala Milan Theater