Carnegie Hall
(c) PR
Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, 68, a close friend and supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, will not lead the Vienna Philharmonic in a five-concert U.S. tour that starts at Carnegie Hall tonight. « This change was made due to recent world events, » Carnegie Hall spokeswoman Synneve Carlino said.
Ron Boling, a spokesman for the orchestra, said the Philharmonic would not comment when asked whether the decision was made by the orchestra, Gergiev or Carnegie. Earlier Daniel Froschauer from the same Vienna Phil had said that the Orchestra would keep the conductor.
Gergiev will be replaced by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
