By Burak Bir
LONDON (AA)— An upcoming concert in Italy by Valery Gergiev, a top Russian conductor, has been cancelled amid controversy, according to media reports on Monday.
A planned performance by Valery Gergiev, who is known for his support for the Russian President Vladimir Putin, has been cancelled by the organizers, according to the Italian news agency ANSA.
Gergiev's appearance, scheduled for July 27 at Reggia di Caserta (the Royal Palace of Caserta) near Naples in southern Italy, would have been his first performance in Europe since Russia's war in Ukraine began in 2022.
The move to cancel his concert came after thousands of people, including Nobel laureates and local and international activists, signed a letter calling for Gergiev’s appearance to be called off.
Meanwhile, ANSA reported that the conductor said he was not informed about the cancellation.
In a post on Telegram, the Russian Embassy in Italy said those who think that the cancellation of Gergiev's concert will harm Russia are "deeply mistaken."
"The damage will be inflicted on Italy itself, which, in this way, undermines its own authority and gives reason to doubt its hospitality and openness towards all those who, with their talent, professionalism, and sincerity, bring eternal beauty to the world," Gergiev told Russian state news agency Tass.