ELISABETH LEONSKAYA HAS BEEN CANCELLED; READ THE STATEMENT BELOW

As a stage, Muziekgebouw Eindhoven follows the guidelines of our trade association VSCD (Association of Theatre and Concert Hall Directors). This directive states, among other things, that Russian and Belarusian artists are welcome as long as they have not actively expressed support for the invasion of Ukraine. 

The directive also states that public distancing from the regime may not be demanded as a condition for cooperation because of the personal danger involved. We take that framework seriously, because we think it is important to deal with the interests of musicians with integrity.

We understand that canceling a concert can cause disappointment for the audience and the artist. Music connects people and we therefore value that as many people as possible can be part of it, especially in troubled times. That is why we find it difficult to make a decision that interrupts that connection.

In the case of Elisabeth Leonskaya, we looked at all the circumstances with great care. She has been committed to young musicians for years and her contribution to making classical music widely accessible. She also states that she sees it as her task to act and guide young talent and not to get involved in politics.

The extent to which the Directive applies to Leonskaya is complex: despite her Russian background, she was not born in Russia and also has Austrian citizenship. Although she does not live in Russia, she has made the choice to perform in Moscow, and the theater where she performs has now decided to make tickets available free of charge to members of the army and their relatives.

In the end, we have to conclude that circumstances leave us no choice but to cancel the planned concert on December 4. We realize that we disappoint music lovers with this, but we especially want to emphasize that the grief caused by the military conflict in the state of Ukraine is now paramount for us. We have now informed her management.

The full VSCD guideline can be found at www.vscd.nl.

https:// elisabeth-leonskaja/mge.nl/ agenda/