Ukraine invasion & the arts: Gergiev fired by his agent, etc.

[volcanohunter]

Pavel Kushnir, a Russian anti-war pianist, has died in detention after going on a hunger strike.

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-war-activist-death-custody-hunger/33062569.html 

[Jayne]

Another artist - this time a singer - lost to Russia’s war on Ukraine.
 

“Oleksandr Serdiuk, a singer at the Berehynia Kyiv Academic Theatre of Ukrainian Folklore, has been killed at the front line. He was 41…. 
 

…In 2004, he graduated from the Kyiv National University of Culture and Art. He later performed at the Berehynia Theatre in Kyiv.”

https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/08/27/7472188/

 

 

[FionaE]

@volcanohunter

Regarding Wuthering Heights in Sevastopol.  

Sevastopol has been the Russian naval base in the Black Sea for over 200 years and was separately administered, even when Crimea as a whole was part of Ukraine (‘only’ circa 20 years). So it has always had a special status as a Russian entity. Crimea and Sevastopol have separate governors, and this governance construct also existed long before the USSR was broken up over 30 years ago.  So I’m not convinced it’s correct to describe Sevastopol as occupied, and in any event that is a US/NATO view which is not shared by all of the world.  

The new Sevastopol Opera House (under construction) and the Academy of Choreography (recently completed) are both on Ministry of Defense land.

Regarding piracy of Philip Glass’s music, NATO made it impossible for Russian entities to have legal and financial dealings with US entities when they imposed sanctions and cut off Russia from Swift. I assume that Philip Glass wouldn’t have felt free to say yes, even if the theatre had approached him privately. Maybe they did, I’ve no info either way. As Philip Glass realises and says in his public letter, there is no recourse for him given the current situation. Sigh. More evidence that sanctions hurt Western entities too. 

Returning to the actual ballet ‘Wuthering Heights’.  The shows were sold out (the online booking systems in Russia often don’t reflect reality on the day)  and the ballet looked amazing.  Similar vein and quality to the dramatic narrative ballets of Cranko, Neumeier, MacMillan.  There are plenty of clips to enjoy in ‘Sergei Polunin Universe’ group on Facebook. 

Edited September 21 by FionaE
Typos

[FionaE]

On 4/19/2024 at 2:57 PM, California said:

2018 - yes. But what an odd coincidence! I doubt we'll ever know the whole story, but it's more and more puzzling. Why was Kim given a visa, when he never publicly criticized the war and hasn't performed in the West since the invasion. Were these visa decisions rushed through by the state department without taking time to check things out on all of them? Did somebody say, well, we denied visas in 2018, must be something suspicious?

Actually … Kimin Kim has performed multiple times outside Russia since February 2022 … in South America, Korea, Japan, China and Italy.  Maybe other places too, I haven’t followed in detail.

I saw him in Milan as Solor in Bayadere in June 2024.  A beautiful experience. 

Edited September 21 by FionaE

[Helene]

Pirates will pirate.

[FionaE]

Talking of piracy, Hollywood movies make their way into Russia.  They get there so quickly and in high quality one wonders if it’s an approved route.  No doubt some middleman is making a fortune in facilitating this.  Maybe even a pirate working for Hollywood.  
(I’m cynical about sanctions as you’ll probably realise.  Someone benefits from them and goods always find a way into the sanctioned country.)

[Mashinka]

On 9/21/2024 at 7:46 AM, FionaE said:

I assume that Philip Glass wouldn’t have felt free to say yes, even if the theatre had approached him privately.

I assume Philip Glass has a moral compass in this matter.

[Jayne]

Regarding rights to copyrighted music, Philip Glass was very clear that he did not want his music used.  Quoting him:  

 

“(I am) well aware that the current circumstances in occupied Crimea leave me powerless to assert my right under international law to prohibit this act of piracy…I shall make my vehement objection to it known should you proceed."  Source

I would interpret that statement to mean he specifically does not want to give permission.  Not that he is unable to give permission.  
 

Regarding Sevastopol, there are multiple treaties that governed the Russian Navy’s lease on (Internationally recognized) Ukrainian territory:  The 1997 Partition Treaty, and the successor 2010 Kharkiv Pact, which required Russia to pay a lease fee for the port.   
 

I’m very interested to learn what the UK government has to say about the British choreographer Jonah Cook making money in occupied Crimea? 

[Jayne]

An Archive Version  of the NYT exploration of the life, protest, arrest, hunger strike, and death in custody of piano soloist Pavel Kushnir.  
 

This war (ahem, special military operation) is robbing the world of far too many beautiful humans. 

Edited September 22 by Jayne

[FionaE]

7 hours ago, Jayne said:

I’m very interested to learn what the UK government has to say about the British choreographer Jonah Cook making money in occupied Crimea? 

I imagine the UK govt have little interest in a dancer in Russia wherever he earns his living there. Dancers don’t get paid enough to be sanctioned.  What is there to sanction?

Within Russia we must understand that Crimea and Sevastopol have always been considered Russian.  From their perspective it was a short blip as Ukrainian, relative to hundreds of years as Russian.  

Western govts don’t prohibit dancers from their countries who are currently training at the Vaganova (and paying fees to the State), or those who stayed and continue to earn money from the State at ballet companies around the country. There are non-Russians living and working in Russia, and not only in ballet.  

This talented dancer/choreographer from England is married to a lovely Russian prima ballerina and they have two young children.This connection and support is more important in life than any political ideals. 

I’ve noticed that Jonah is welcomed and hired widely in Russia … by Diana Vishneva, and others, as well as Sevastopol Opera, to create ballets.

.  They have prioritised their own family and careers.  I understand and empathise with them.

[Mashinka]

1 hour ago, FionaE said:

Within Russia we must understand that Crimea and Sevastopol have always been considered Russian.  From their perspective it was a short blip as Ukrainian, relative to hundreds of years as Russian.  

I am disturbed to read undiluted Russian propaganda being presented here.  Russia has instigated a brutal unprovoked war on a neighbourng democratic country. Nothing more needs to be said.  Jayne has given accurate information as to the previous status of Sevastopol. 

Britain has been subjected to criminal acts by Russian operatives e.g. the Salisbury poisonings and has suffered  a number of serious cyber attacks.

To return to the ballet, British citizens are not being sanctioned.  I had never heard of Jonah Cook before the mention of his using Glass's work without authorization  but as they say in Britain he has made his bed and must lie on it.

2 hours ago, FionaE said:

Western govts don’t prohibit dancers from their countries who are currently training at the Vaganova (and paying fees to the State), or those who stayed and continue to earn money from the State at ballet companies around the country. There are non-Russians living and working in Russia, and not only in ballet.  

Perhaps they should, it has been made abundantly clear that foreign nationals in Russia are at risk of arrest and imprisonment on jumped up charges in order to be swapped for Russian spies.  Such an exchange took place very recently.  From the UK Foreign office advice website.

FCDO advises against all travel to Russia.

 

[Helene]

Re: edited posts: if you’re going to describe a ballet professional's motivations, then, per our site rules, cite where they said or wrote this.  Or don’t post about it.

[Helene]

58 minutes ago, Mashinka said:

I am disturbed to read undiluted Russian propaganda being presented here

It is not Russian propaganda to state the fact about what Russia’s official position on Ukraine is.  It is not Russian propaganda to point out that there are no official sanctions against studying the arts in Russia or performing there or no prohibitions against hiring them back in their own countries in the vast majority of countries.

There’s no obligation are a lot of legal principles involved with such prohibitions, and they tend to be broad and rare.  That doesn’t mean that they are encouraged.  There are many other, more effective ways,ie, preventing money laundering and seizing assets, if there is the political will.

There’s no obligation for anyone to understand or respect their decisions to do so.

It could be to state Russian assertions themselves as “facts”, and it would be to insist on them.

[volcanohunter]

In January 2003 the presidents of Ukraine and Russia signed a treaty delineating the border between the two countries. It was ratified by the parliaments of both countries in April 2004. On the Russian side the treaty was signed by President Vladimir V. Putin. So he officially and legally recognized the Crimea as Ukrainian territory, until he didn't. 

https://treaties.un.org/Pages/showDetails.aspx?objid=08000002803fe18a 

The "separate" status of Sevastopol is not especially extraordinary. It had a separate administration from the rest of the Crimea. The city of Kyiv is also a separate administrative entity and is not the capital of Kyiv province. That doesn't mean it isn't part of Ukraine. It was the capital of the Ukrainian SSR before it was the capital of independent Ukraine. The city of Moscow isn't a part of Moscow province either, because it is also a separate administrative entity. That doesn't mean it isn't part of Russia.

Edited September 26 by volcanohunter