US EditionFestival drops German orchestra over Israeli conductor
- The Flanders Festival Ghent canceled the Munich Philharmonic's concert scheduled for September 18 due to concerns about Israeli conductor Lahav Shani's stance on the Israeli government.
- The organizers cited their inability to clarify Shani's attitude toward what they called a 'genocidal regime' in Tel Aviv and chose not to collaborate with partners lacking unequivocal distancing from it.
- The Munich Philharmonic and the city of Munich condemned the cancellation as collective punishment, while German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer called it a disgrace to Europe and pure antisemitism.
- The festival affirmed music as a source of connection yet noted the current inhumanity and emotional reactions in society, while Shani has previously spoken in favor of peace and reconciliation.
- The cancellation provoked strong official condemnation but the festival's broader program will continue with ticket holders being refunded and contacted individually.
91 Articles
91 Articles
Following the cancelled appearance of the Munich Philharmonic with the Israeli conductor Lahav Shani in Ghent, Belgium, the orchestra is now performing at short notice in the German capital. The Musikfest Berlin invites the Munich Philharmonic and its future principal conductor to a guest performance on Monday evening.
Signs of solidarity: In response to the invitation from Ghent, the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and its conductor Lahav Shani were invited to Berlin, where they will perform on Monday at the Musikfest.
The fact that a Belgian festival invites an Israeli musician for political reasons has triggered a sharp protest in Germany. Now the Musikfest Berlin reacts with a welcome gesture.
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