Russian conductor Valerie Gergiev, a friend of Putin, has canceled his concert in Italy following controversy.

Russian conductor Valery Gergiev 's symphony concert, scheduled for July 27 at the majestic Royal Palace of Caserta, has finally been canceled . The decision comes after growing pressure , protests, and a heated debate about the role of art in times of conflict. Gergiev's presence in Italy had sparked a political and cultural storm .

Outrage was sparked by an accusation by Yulia Navalnaya , the widow of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny. In an article published by La Repubblica, Navalnaya not only called Gergiev a "friend" of Putin , but also a "promoter of his criminal policy, his accomplice and supporter ." She referred to investigations that pointed to alleged diversions of funds from Russian cultural foundations into Gergiev's personal accounts, casting a shadow of suspicion over his financial activities.

The impact of Navalnaya's article was immediate. Critical voices quickly emerged, transcending political and cultural boundaries. From European Parliament Vice-President Pina Picierno , who strongly lobbied for the cancellation, arguing that the event violated the Royal Palace's ethics regulations and that taxpayer funds should not be used for a "supporter of a criminal regime," to 700 Nobel laureates and intellectuals who signed an open letter on Friday, addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, demanding the cancellation of the concert and an investigation into the use of public funds for pro-Russian events in the EU.

Even the Italian Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli , while defending artistic freedom, drew a clear distinction between this and propaganda. The risk, in his view, was that Gergiev's concert would convey the "wrong message," a "sounding board for Russian propaganda ." Ukrainian associations in Italy, for their part, had purchased tickets for the front rows of the concert, intending to express their dissent directly to Gergiev, and were preparing to organize protests in Milan and Caserta to coincide with his performance.

Finally, the management of the Royal Palace of Caserta decided to cancel the event. The reactions were swift and overwhelmingly positive. Picierno didn't hide his joy on social media: "We explained, we fought, we believed, and we won ! Campania will not host a Putin ambassador." He even called for a demonstration with European flags in front of the Royal Palace of Caserta on Sunday the 27th to "celebrate the strength and beauty of democracy." Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation responded: "Thank you. What we have done is truly important."

In Italian politics, the cancellation was welcomed by a wide range of parties. Federico Mollicone, president of the Chamber of Deputies' Culture Committee and head of Culture for Brothers of Italy, expressed his satisfaction, stressing that "culture must always be free, but it cannot be an instrument of mystification and propaganda," and made it clear that "Gergiev is not just a conductor, but one of Putin's most faithful cultural influencers ." The secretary of More Europe, Riccardo Magi, also made the decision, recalling that Gergiev was "an instrument of Kremlin propaganda." Mara Carfagna, secretary of Noi Moderati, described the cancellation as "an act of responsibility," thus avoiding "a sacrosanct protest from the Ukrainian community."