Renowned conductor Valery Gergiev, a pal of Russian President Vladimir Putin, will substitute Vladimir Urin on the helm of Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre after the latter resigned following criticism of the war in Ukraine.
Gergiev has been appointed common director of Russia’s largest state theatre for a interval of 5 years, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin introduced in Moscow on Friday.
He additionally runs the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg and is the founding father of a number of festivals.
Gergiev, 70, misplaced his put up as chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra just a few days after Putin’s all-out invasion of Ukraine started as a result of he had failed to talk out forcefully towards the war.
Urin was relieved from the put up at his personal request following Friday’s authorities announcement, a transfer that had been anticipated.
“Today I’m saying goodbye to you, as immediately is my final day working on the Bolshoi Theatre,” the 76-year-old informed workers in a video that started circulating on social media on Thursday. A theatre spokeswoman confirmed its authenticity to dpa.
Urin was among the many Russian cultural figures who referred to as for an finish to the preventing in Ukraine in a open letter revealed final 12 months.
Many Bolshoi artists ended their engagement on the theatre – both at their very own doing or by power – as a result of war and the ensuing Western sanctions.
Urin, who instructions enormous stature within the Russian theatre world and past, took over the administration of the Bolshoi in 2013. His contract was on account of run till 2027.
Russian media had lately reported that Putin himself had insisted on Urin’s dismissal. The official line was that Urin requested to step down himself.
The authorities rejected issues that the Moscow and St Petersburg theatres could possibly be merged.
“That is not going to occur. The Bolshoi and Mariinsky theatres will live on as they’ve till now,” mentioned deputy prime minister Tatyana Golikova. – dpa
