Musical Homophobia - or The Homophobia Histories

[amateur51]

Very interesting!

That's a better and more dignified way of doing it than trying to disrupt the whole concert, I think.

Peter Tatchell is a very dignified character these days.

http://www.petertatchellfoundation.org/?utm_source=New+subscribers&utm_campaign=27c21b0eea-2013_10_21&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_7c4027ce7d-27c21b0eea-20406925

[scottycelt]

Was it a good concert, does anyone know ... ?

[Serial_Apologist]

I might have gone, not knowing of Gergiev's support for Putin. Would the principled thing have been to stay away, given that knowledge?

[scottycelt]

Gergiev always looks to me as if he's just slept under Waterloo Bridge after a night on the vodka.

I can't remember ever seeing a leading conductor who ever took less pride in his appearance.

It is most unusual for someone in that role?

[Ferretfancy]

Gergiev always looks to me as if he's just slept under Waterloo Bridge after a night on the vodka.

I can't remember ever seeing a leading conductor who ever took less pride in his appearance.

It is most unusual for someone in that role?

Ah! So that's a cocktail stick he conducts with and not a toothpick!

[amateur51]

Gergiev always looks to me as if he's just slept under Waterloo Bridge after a night on the vodka.

I can't remember ever seeing a leading conductor who ever took less pride in his appearance.

It is most unusual for someone in that role?

Magisterially off-topic scotty - bravo!

[scottycelt]

Ah! So that's a cocktail stick he conducts with and not a toothpick!

:laugh:

[jean]

Would the principled thing have been to stay away, given that knowledge?

No more than I should feel obliged not to go top Vasily Petrenko's concerts after what he said about women conductors.

[MrGongGong]

It is most unusual for someone in that role?

Nope
I saw him in Verbier in the summer
hanging out in bars .......... you not seen our Nige ?

I'm not convinced by his conducting (having been to rehearsals as well as gigs) but couldn't give a monkeys about what he looks like

[scottycelt]

Nope
I saw him in Verbier in the summer
hanging out in bars .......... you not seen our Nige ?

I'm not convinced by his conducting (having been to rehearsals as well as gigs) but couldn't give a monkeys about what he looks like

On the contrary I know nothing about his conducting, but he is the most prominent figure on the platform, after all, and he surely must be aware he is in front of a paying audience who are entitled to expect a certain minimal (and no less) standard of appearance?

I'm just surprised someone close doesn't have a word in his ear ... or maybe they already have and have simply given up ... ?

[aeolium]

It looks as though Gergiev's support for Putin is going to go on being a headache for him and the LSO given two protests in successive weeks at concerts in the LSO Berlioz series:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/04/gay-rights-protest-putin-valery-gergiev

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/nov/06/gergiev-s-credibility-has-been-shot-to-pieces

I wonder whether the LSO will want to continue with Gergiev as their chief conductor until 2015 or whether they think the reputational damage is going to be too serious.

[jean]

I am glad that there were protests, but I am also glad that they were dignified and that after the initial interventio0n they did not attempt to disrupt the concerts.

Peter Tatchell's statement is here.

And here is his statement accompanying his invitation to protest at last night's concert, though I haven't yet heard any reports of how it went.

Bring sparklers to create a bright visual effect for the protest. Putin
represses, we sparkle!

Valery Gergiev conducts the London Symphony Orchestra on Thursday at the
Barbican, with a performance of Berlioz.

“This protest takes place on the anniversary of the 1917 Russian
revolution. Some people argue that Russia needs a new, non-violent
democratic revolution. Putin is taking the country backward. As well as
escalating repression against the LGBT community, civil liberties and
dissidents are also under attack. His regime has incarcerated political
prisoners in jails that resemble gulags. Gergiev endorses Putin, despite
this shameful repression. That’s why we need to protest,” said human rights
campaigner and protest coordinator, Peter Tatchell, Director of the Peter
Tatchell Foundation.

“Gergiev has been listed a celebrity supporter of the autocratic Russian
president, Vladimir Putin, whose regime harasses journalists, lawyers,
human rights defenders and LGBT campaigners. Peaceful protesters and
opposition leaders are being arrested, often on trumped up charges, in a
bid to silence and intimidate critics.

“Valery has defended the homophobic law that persecutes gay Russians;
reportedly falsely claiming that it is a law against paedophilia. He
condemned and sneered at Pussy Riot.

“His loyalty to Putin has been rewarded with personal honours and massive
state grants for his pet projects. Gergiev is a great conductor but he
colludes with a tyrant and shows little respect for freedom and equality,”
said Mr Tatchell.

.

[jean]

There's a four-star review in the Times today by Richard Morrison, which nevertheless describes the playing as taut and anodyne but at the same time swashbuckling.

He wonders about Gergiev's future in Britain and America. Will the Germans be any keener?

[amateur51]

I am glad that there were protests, but I am also glad that they were dignified and that after the initial interventio0n they did not attempt to disrupt the concerts.

Peter Tatchell's statement is here.

And here is his statement accompanying his invitation to protest at last night's concert, though I haven't yet heard any reports of how it went.

Bring sparklers to create a bright visual effect for the protest. Putin
represses, we sparkle!

Valery Gergiev conducts the London Symphony Orchestra on Thursday at the
Barbican, with a performance of Berlioz.

“This protest takes place on the anniversary of the 1917 Russian
revolution. Some people argue that Russia needs a new, non-violent
democratic revolution. Putin is taking the country backward. As well as
escalating repression against the LGBT community, civil liberties and
dissidents are also under attack. His regime has incarcerated political
prisoners in jails that resemble gulags. Gergiev endorses Putin, despite
this shameful repression. That’s why we need to protest,” said human rights
campaigner and protest coordinator, Peter Tatchell, Director of the Peter
Tatchell Foundation.

“Gergiev has been listed a celebrity supporter of the autocratic Russian
president, Vladimir Putin, whose regime harasses journalists, lawyers,
human rights defenders and LGBT campaigners. Peaceful protesters and
opposition leaders are being arrested, often on trumped up charges, in a
bid to silence and intimidate critics.

“Valery has defended the homophobic law that persecutes gay Russians;
reportedly falsely claiming that it is a law against paedophilia. He
condemned and sneered at Pussy Riot.

“His loyalty to Putin has been rewarded with personal honours and massive
state grants for his pet projects. Gergiev is a great conductor but he
colludes with a tyrant and shows little respect for freedom and equality,”
said Mr Tatchell.

.

There was a leading Putinite having his say on BBC Radio this morning and he seemed to be taking the scottycelt/MrPee line of 'how dare they criticise the decisions of a sovereign nation?'; which suggests to me that they're seriously rattled.

[jean]

Peter Tatchell's report of the action:

Concert-goers arriving for Valery Gergiev’s performance of Berlioz’s The
Damnation of Faust last night at the Barbican were greeted and leafleted by
human rights and LGBT protesters. They criticised his support for Russian
president Vladimir Putin. The Russian government stands accused of
widespread human rights abuses, including the harassment of journalists,
lawyers, human rights defenders, anti-corruption campaigners and LGBT
activists.

The good-natured, peaceful protest included chants of: “No to Gergiev. No
to Putin. Human rights for all Russians” and “Gergiev! Stop supporting
Putin. Stop supporting tyranny.”

The placards had slogans such as: “Gergiev supports tyrant Putin & anti-gay
law” and “Putin arrests peaceful protesters & opposition leaders. Gergiev
backs Putin.”

Participants waved sparklers. The protest theme was: “Sparkle for freedom
in Russia. Putin suppresses, we sparkle.”

Pictures here.