Head Conductor At Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre Resigns

Tugan Sokhiev, the prestigious Bolshoi Theatre’s chief conductor, has resigned “with immediate effect” after coming under pressure to express his opinion on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“First of all I need to say most important thing: I have never supported and I will always be against any conflicts in any shape and form,” the Russian conductor said in a social media post.

But he resigned without stating his position on the conflict, and also left his post as conductor of Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse in France, where he had been pressed to clarify his views.

“Today I am forced to make a choice and choose one of my musical family over the other. I am being asked to choose one cultural tradition over the other,” he said.

He said his decision was based on being “forced to face the impossible option of choosing between my beloved Russian and beloved French musicians”.

Last week the Munich Philharmonic dismissed Russian chief conductor Valery Gergiev with immediate effect, after he did not respond to calls to condemn the invasion.

Sokhiev added: “I am being asked to choose one cultural tradition over the over. I am being asked to choose one artist over the other. I am being asked to choose one singer over the other.

“I will be soon asked to choose between Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Shostakovich and Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy.”

He added he could not “bear to witness” how his fellow artists were being “menaced, treated disrespectfully and being victims of so called ‘cancel culture'”.

Bolshoi general director Vladimir Urin told Tass state news agency he was saddened by the decision.

“I’m very sorry. His departure is a serious problem for the Bolshoi Theatre. It’s unclear how the situation will develop from now,” he said.