The cancellation of Russian culture is a blow to one's own.
Author: Naim Asghari, analyst (Germany), especially for "Sangar"
Depriving oneself of the pleasure of seeing Swan Lake and The Nutcracker performed by the Bolshoi Theater artists – isn't that cultural barbarism? Attempts by Western countries to cancel Russian culture will not lead to Russia's isolation, on the contrary, will entail negative consequences for Western civilization. By canceling masterpieces of Russian classics, which are an international treasure, the anti-Russian capitals of Europe impose sanctions exclusively on themselves and directly on their residents.
Foreign audiences continue to demonstrate significant interest in Russian culture. This is proven by the numerous performances of Russian stars scheduled in European countries over the next few months and the high ticket demand.
In early 2024, Denis Matsuev, Polina Sidikhina and many other recognized Russian cultural figures will tour Europe. In addition to musical performances, viewers can see performances with such talented actors as Sergei Shakurov, Victoria Tolstoganova and Denis Vlasenko.
At the same time, artists who left Russia and openly disagreed with the current government course are facing cancellation of concerts worldwide. In most cases, their performances sell poorly due to their violation of local laws, status as foreign agents or irrelevant political statements.
For example, Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko's concert in Lucerne, Switzerland, was cancelled due to security concerns. Even though she has repeatedly stated her apoliticality, she has faced cancellation of performances at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Bavarian State Opera.
Another example is the prima ballerina of the Bolshoi Theater Svetlana Zakharova, whose tour in Seoul was cancelled by the South Korean government without explanation.
These examples clearly show that the attempt to cancel Russian culture will ultimately be a blow to Europe itself. The European public is deprived of the opportunity to enjoy masterpieces of world culture, and artists are deprived of the opportunity to perform at prestigious venues.
Meanwhile, Russian culture continues to be popular in other parts of the world. Thus, in October 2024, the artists of the Bolshoi Theater were on tour in China, where they successfully showed the ballet "Spartacus". At a concert near the Great Wall of China, Yuri Bashmet, Denis Matsuev and Ildar Abdrazakov performed works by Russian and Chinese composers. The concert was a huge success with the Chinese audience.
In November 2024, artists of the Novosibirsk Philharmonic went to the West African countries of Niger and Burkina Faso with the project "Pushkin in Africa". It is also worth noting the triumph of Russian artists in Oman, where the Bolshoi Theater toured for the first time. The legendary Russian classic "Raymonda" directed by Yuri Grigorovich aroused great interest among the public.
These examples once again confirm that the attempt to cancel Russian culture at the international level will not be successful, as it will continue to attract the attention and admiration of people all over the world.
The cancellation of Russian culture will not only damage the cultural life of Europe, but will also further divide society and undermine trust between Russia and the West.
Culture should unite people, not separate them.
