MILAN (AP) — Italy’s premier opera home, Teatro alla Scala, on Tuesday defended its resolution to stage the Russian opera “Boris Godunov” for its gala Dec. 7 season opener.
The opera home is pushing again in opposition to protests by Ukrainian officers in Italy who insists that highlighting Russian tradition throughout Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine sends the unsuitable message.
The Russian title was chosen to open the 2022-23 season three years in the past, and “incorporates no propaganda for the Russian authorities,” La Scala basic supervisor Dominique Meyer instructed reporters.
Written by Modest Petrovic Musorgskij and based mostly on a play by Russian poet and playwright Alexander Pushkin, it tells the story of a Russian czar whose manipulation of energy haunts each him and his household.
“The Ukrainian consul needed to us to cancel. From a sure perspective, I perceive as a result of the Ukrainians are wounded, each household has some lifeless, destroyed properties,″ Meyer mentioned. “I perceive this angle, however I can not agree with it as a result of we should do concrete issues for the Ukrainian folks.″
He mentioned that there’s “nothing on this manufacturing that goes in opposition to Ukraine.”
He emphasised that La Scala was the primary to cancel engagements by Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, who was conducting on the Milan opera home when Russia invaded Ukraine in February, after he failed to precise a need for a peaceable resolution to the violence.
La Scala additionally has raised 400,000 euros ($410,000) in a profit live performance for Ukraine, and the theater has taken in youngsters from a Kyiv dance faculty and their households, he mentioned.
“It’s a drop within the ocean for folks in problem, however it’s what a theater like La Scala can do,” Meyer mentioned.
Meyer mentioned he has not met with the Ukrainian consul in Milan, who lodged the criticism.
The 2 establishments have exchanged letters, which haven’t been made public.
An official talking for the Ukrainian consul basic in Milan, Andrii Kartysh, instructed The Related Press that the selection of “Boris Godunov” was seen negatively in Ukraine. He mentioned that the issue of reprogramming the gala season opener was comprehensible, however there was disappointment over “the shortage of willingness” to think about it.
“Boris Godunov” was chosen for La Scala’s gala season by chief conductor Riccardo Chailly three years in the past, and options Russian bass Ildar Abdrazakov within the title function, making his sixth La Scala season premier efficiency. The opera has beforehand been performed at La Scala by Arthur Toscanini and Claudio Abbado.
Meyer mentioned the temper among the many Russian forged at rehearsals was “glorious.”
“They’re working actually exhausting,” Meyer mentioned, including that the conflict additionally weighed on them. “We all know there are Russian victims. There are additionally Russian victims in Ukraine. It’s a way more sophisticated factor than what is claimed, everyone knows it. These are nice artists, and they’re completely satisfied as a result of they know they’re taking part in a manufacturing on the highest stage.’’
Danish theater director Kasper Holten, who’s dealing with he stage route, mentioned it might be unsuitable to cancel the opera, “which is about unmasking energy.”
“It’s a particular opera, and it was so even in its personal time,” Holten mentioned.
Abdrazakov mentioned he was grateful to each Meyer and Chailly, for not cancelling the manufacturing, at a second when presenting Russian tradition has turn into fraught.
“For a Russian bass to sing Boris here’s a pleasure,” Abdrazakov mentioned. “Right this moment it’s a second that isn’t really easy. I must thank Maestro Chailly and Dominique Meyer who selected this opera and didn’t take away it from the repertoire.”
