Several German voices are upset about the decision of the Ghent Festival of Flanders to cancel a concert by the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra was due to perform next week conducted by its future chief conductor, the Israeli Lahav Shani, who is also chief conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. The German culture minister has called the decision ‘sheer anti-Semitism’. Flemish PM Matthias Diependaele (Flemish nationalist N-VA) has called the cancellation ‘rash’, while Flemish culture minister Caroline Gennez (Flemish socialist Vooruit) supports the festival's decision.
German minister accuses Ghent Festival of ‘sheer anti-Semitism’ for cancelling concert with Israeli conductor
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The German orchestra Münchner Philharmoniker was scheduled to perform in Ghent on 18 September conducted by its future chief conductor, Israeli Lahav Shani. The performance was to be ‘one of the artistic highlights’ of the festival.
However, the organisers of the Ghent Festival of Flanders have now decided that the concert will not go ahead. According to a statement from the festival, the decision was made ‘out of a deep conviction that music should be a source of connection and reconciliation’.
German culture minister Wolfram Weimer is said to be outraged. He claims a cultural boycott of Israel is underway ‘under the guise of alleged criticism of Israel': ‘This is pure anti-Semitism and an attack on the foundations of our culture. If it becomes acceptable collectively to exclude German orchestras and Jewish artists, a red line has been crossed.’
Diependaele: ‘Rash and ill-considered decision’
Flemish PM Matthias Diependaele also regrets the decision. ‘The essential purpose of art and culture is to connect people. They should build bridges. The cultural sector cannot simply equate artists with the serious actions of certain people in power on the basis of their nationality or origin.’
"The decision by the Ghent Festival of Flanders is rash and ill-considered. It imports a foreign conflict and, in this specific case, also the polarisation surrounding it. I can understand to some extent that the organisation wanted to send out a signal, but there are plenty of other ways to respond to this atrocity. Such a response or signal should never be at the expense of an individual, in this case an internationally renowned conductor, purely on the basis of his origin. This is a path that we, as a democratic and modern society, should not take."
Flemish culture minister Caroline Gennez supports the festival: ‘The Flemish and Belgian governments have acted responsibly and have sent out a strong signal against the horror in Gaza. I have called on the cultural sector to do the same,’ she told VRT.
‘This can be done by critically examining the workings of their institutions and no longer collaborating with partners and companies that refuse unequivocally to distance themselves from the genocidal regime in Tel Aviv. How the cultural sector goes about this is their choice and their artistic freedom.