FRANKFURT: A Belgian music festival has cancelled a German orchestra’s performance due to concerns about its Israeli conductor, prompting strong reactions from German officials.
The Flanders Festival Ghent cancelled the Munich Philharmonic’s scheduled September 18 performance led by Israeli conductor Lahav Shani, who is set to become the orchestra’s chief conductor for the 2026/27 season.
Festival organisers stated they were “unable to provide sufficient clarity about his attitude” towards the Israeli government amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Organisers claimed they chose to “refrain from collaboration with partners who have not distanced themselves unequivocally from that regime” despite acknowledging Shani had “spoken out in favour of peace and reconciliation several times in the past”.
The festival statement noted that “the current situation” was causing “emotional reactions” and they wanted to “maintain the serenity” of their event.
German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer condemned the decision as a “disgrace for Europe” and accused the festival of implementing a cultural boycott “under the guise of supposed criticism of Israel”.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot described the cancellation as “excessive” and emphasised the importance of not confusing “the Jewish community and Israelis with Netanyahu’s policies”.
The controversy arises amid Israel’s military campaign in Gaza following Hamas’s October 2023 attack, which has created catastrophic humanitarian conditions and divided European governments on their response. – AFP
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