Russian conductor Gergiev's concert at the Royal Palace of Caserta has been canceled.

On the same topic:

The management of the Royal Palace of Caserta has canceled the symphony concert conducted by Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, scheduled for July 27. The decision comes after days of heated controversy surrounding the artist, who is considered close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the heart of the criticism was the fear that Gergiev's presence—known for never distancing himself from the invasion of Ukraine—could serve as a symbolic legitimization of the Russian regime.

The protest was sparked by appeals from cultural and political figures, including several Nobel laureates, who addressed letters to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the heads of the Italian Parliament, and the President of the Campania Region, Vincenzo De Luca. An online petition supporting the request for cancellation also garnered over 16,000 signatures.

The decision to cancel the event was supported by Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, who stated: "The management of the Reggia has made a legitimate and commendable choice. While recognizing the artistic value of the event, the cancellation responds to a need for moral responsibility, to protect the principles of the free world and prevent unacceptable ideological appropriation ."

Pina Picierno , Vice President of the European Parliament, was among the first to lead the protest. "We fought, explained, and believed in the possibility of stopping an act that would have been an affront to the victims of the Russian invasion. On Sunday, we will stand in front of the Royal Palace with European flags, to affirm democratic values," she wrote in a post on X.

Azione leader Carlo Calenda also expressed his satisfaction: "Good news," he wrote on social media. Senator Marco Lombardo of Azione echoed the sentiment, calling for "the same approach to be followed in Bologna for the concert by pianist Romanovsky."

Words of approval also came from the Brothers of Italy front. Federico Mollicone , president of the Chamber of Deputies' Culture Committee, stated: "Gergiev is one of Putin's most ardent cultural tools. This isn't a question of hostility toward Russian culture or its people, but of consistency with the principles of freedom and truth. Culture cannot be a vehicle for mystification."

A few days ago, Yulia Navalnaya , widow of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, who died in 2024 in a Siberian penal colony, also spoke out against the concert. In a letter published in Repubblica , she called Gergiev's participation "a gift to Kremlin propaganda," emphasizing that the conductor was not only "a friend of Putin" but also "his supporter and propagandist."

On the other side, Governor Vincenzo De Luca expressed his perplexity at the requests for annulment, calling the situation "disconcerting" and raising questions about the boundary between freedom of opinion and propaganda.

Valery Gergiev is no stranger to controversy: in 2022, he was fired from Milan's Teatro alla Scala for failing to distance himself from the Russian military attack.

More on these topics: