Valery Gergiev
Foto: Marco Borggreve
Conductor Valery Gergiev, whose performances have drawn protests from gay-rights activists both in New York and London, gave a statement on his Facebook page today: « I am aware of the gay rights protest that took place at the Barbican last week prior to my concert with the LSO. I have said before that I do not discriminate against anyone, gay or otherwise, and never have done, and as head of the Mariinsky Theatre this is our policy. It is wrong to suggest that I have ever supported anti-gay legislation and in all my work I have upheld equal rights for all people. I am an artist and have for over three decades worked with tens of thousands of people in dozens of countries from all walks of life and many of them are indeed my friends. I collaborate with and support all my colleagues in the endeavor for music and art. This is my focus as a conductor, musician, artist and as Artistic and General Director of the Mariinsky Theatre and Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra. » It’s noteworthy that Gergiev underlines that he never supported anti-gay legislation, without specifically referring to the Russian one, instated under Vladimir Putin, the politician he campaigned for last year. An he refrained totally from condemning this Russian homophobe law, as he was asked to do.
