Ghent festival cancels concert led by Israeli conductor Lahav Shani
Flanders Festival Ghent has cancelled a concert by the Munich Philharmonic, which was due to be led by Israeli conductor Lahav Shani. The festival organisers said they were "unable to provide sufficient clarity" regarding Shani's "attitude to the genocidal regime in Tel Aviv".
Scheduled for 18 September at Saint Bavo's Cathedral in Ghent, the concert was expected to be one of the festival's artistic highlights.
"The decision has been made on the basis of our deepest conviction that music should be a source of connection and reconciliation," the festival said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Lahav Shani has spoken out in favour of peace and reconciliation several times in the past, but in the light of his role as the chief conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, we are unable to provide sufficient clarity about his attitude to the genocidal regime in Tel Aviv," the festival said.
Maintaining serenity
The festival referred to calls by the Flemish minister of culture and the Ghent cultural sector to avoid collaborating with partners who do not unequivocally distance themselves from the Israeli regime.
"Given the inhumanity of the current situation, which is also leading to emotional reactions in our own society, we believe it is undesirable to allow this concert to go ahead," they said. "We have chosen to maintain the serenity of our festival and safeguard the concert experience for our visitors and musicians."
Collective punishment
The Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and the city of Munich released a statement on Wednesday condemning the decision, the German press agency DPA reported.
"In both his artistic work and personal conduct, Lahav Shani stands for dialogue, humanism, and mutual understanding. We firmly reject the practice of placing Israeli artists under general suspicion and subjecting them to collective punishment," the statement read.
Openness and dialogue
Munich's mayor, Dieter Reiter, said that he could not understand the decision at all. "As cultural ambassadors for Munich, the state capital, the Munich Philharmonic stands for openness, diversity and dialogue, both at home and on their tours to concert halls throughout Europe and the rest of the world," he said.
The rest of the Ghent Festival of Flanders programme, which runs from 12 September to 2 October, will go ahead as planned. Tickets purchased for the cancelled concert will be refunded, and ticket holders will be contacted personally.
#FlandersNewsService | Israeli conductor Lahav Shani © PHOTO ARIE KIEVIT
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