A performance by conductor Teodor Currentzis has been canceled in Vienna. His Ukrainian colleague expressed concern about his ties to Russia

The performance of conductor Teodor Currentzis has been canceled at the Vienna Festival (Wiener Festwochen), reports The New York Times . Earlier, another festival participant, Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv, expressed concern about its ties with Russia.

The artistic director of the Wiener Festwochen festival, Milo Rau, said that he had received about 50 messages about the cancellation of Currentzis's performance, and that many of them were critical. However, there was no alternative to this decision, he added.

Earlier, conductor Lyniv said that she would not be able to take part in the festival at which Currentzis would perform, writes NYT.

“Curentzis’ connections with Russia and his silence about this aggressive war against my homeland do not allow me to appear in the same context with him,” the publication quotes her.

Lyniv told reporters that she was pleased with the decision of the festival management to cancel Currentzis’ concert. Representatives of the conductor himself did not comment on this.

Currentzis's performance at the Vienna Festival was scheduled to take place on June 12 and become part of the tour of the German symphony orchestra SWR. According to The New York Times, the orchestra led by Currentzis planned to perform “War Requiem.” SWR program director Anke Mai told the publication that she regrets the decision of the festival organizers to cancel the concert. According to her, the orchestra never asked Currentzis to make a statement about the war in Ukraine, “aware of the consequences that such a statement would have for a conductor in Russia.” She also called the decision to perform “War Requiem” a “message” from Currentzis and the orchestra that “cannot be misunderstood.” According to her, this work is “a call for peace.”

Oksana Lyniv will conduct the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra in the requiem “Babi Yar” by Ukrainian composer Evgeniy Stankovych. The performance will take place on June 2.

Teodor Currentzis is a conductor of Greek origin who founded the MusicAeterna orchestra in Novosibirsk in 2004. Later the ensemble moved to St. Petersburg and began performing at international festivals. The NYT writes that MusicAeterna's management has turned Currentzis into one of the most outstanding conductors in the world. In 2014, he received Russian citizenship.

Currentzis has not publicly commented on the war in Ukraine. Amid growing criticism, in 2022 he announced plans to form a new international orchestra with the support of donors outside Russia. Judging by the poster on the MusicAeterna website , he continues to conduct in Russia. NYT names VTB Bank, which is under European and American sanctions, as the general sponsor of the orchestra.

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