Toronto Symphony Orchestra vs Valentina Lisitsa
In case you have been living under a rock for the past few weeks, the classical music industry has been embroiled in controversy since the Toronto Symphony Orchestra decided to remove Valentina Lisitsa from a concert featuring the Ukrainian-born pianist in Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2.
The reason behind the move? They had deemed her recent posts on Twitter as "offensive".
Lisitsa is probably the first classical musician to have gained her prominence and fame through social media, with her videos on YouTube having over 90 million views. She has turned her life into a virtual reality show, streaming 'Live' on the internet her practice sessions that sometimes span 9 hours.
The posts involved her views on the ongoing conflict in her home country, and was sparked by a glowing article in the French fashion magazine "ELLE" about women in the Ukrainian army. Despite the magazine issuing a formal apology, Lisitsa was branded a traitor and a wh*re.
Whether you agree with her views, this fiasco highlights a few facts about how the industry functions.
Let's not kid ourselves, classical music is probably the only industry where its workers constantly demand to be paid top dollar when the organisations are constantly in the red. It survives on donations, sponsors, and patrons, without whom virtually all the orchestras in the world would cease to exist (unless they're funded by oil money of course.)
It isn't just the less established organisations and orchestras that are struggling, in recent years, even one of the top ensembles in the world, the Philadelphia Orchestra, has filed for bankruptcy.
Lisitsa's assertion, though denied by the TSO, is that the orchestra was pressured by a Ukrainian sponsor to cancel her engagement. If that was true, what was the orchestra supposed to do? It is a romantic notion that the TSO should have taken the high ground and placed artistic integrity over political motives, but the management took a decision that they probably thought was in the best interest for the survival of the orchestra. It is hard enough to balance their books WITH sponsors, and without those funds, their musicians would be out of job.
The whole situation could definitely have been better handled by all parties involved. In fact, her tweets and post probably gained more attention after the orchestra decided on their course of action, prompting a strong reaction from Lisitsa and her fans/friends/family. She had just performed to high acclaim in a festival at Niagara.
Nobody is denying Lisitsa's right to her views, whether they were misguided or not. But for someone who benefitted from the far-reaching effects of social media, she should be prepared to take on the chin the backlash should it turn south.
That is the problem with social media like Twitter or Facebook or Instagram. The people who would "follow" you or you would keep on your list of friends probably won't be disagreeing with you. Nobody likes being the odd one out. People are labelled as "followers" by default, and posters start believing that they are untouchable because nobody disagrees with them.
It isn't about a slap to the Arts. Artists shouldn't have a different set of social standards to adhere to. Remember that Donald Sterling, former owner of NBA franchise Lon Angeles Clippers, was banned from the game entirely and forced to sell off his team....all for remarks he made in PRIVATE.
There is no doubting that she is passionate about her home country, and was trying to make a stand over the glamourising of the killers in Ukraine. And now she has gained more attention to Elle's article, as well as her tweets.
But it wasn't just her comments about the article, it was how she continued to fan the flames by posting altered photos and stirring up further ill-feelings.
Now, if the tables were turned and it was the conductor or a member of the board of the orchestra who had made statements contrary to her beliefs, she would probably pull out of the performance as a "matter of principles." She talks about the orchestra trying to "silence" her, but didn't she try to silence the French magazine over their article too? It works both ways.
Nobody has come out as a winner in this mess, and rightfully so. The only side one should take in conflict, is on the side of humanity.
Free speech comes at a price, and unless you're willing to pay that price, you don't exercise that right.
I do not believe that TSO should have cancelled Lisitsa's performance, but I do understand their reasons and their right to do so. Although the next time something like this happens, do remember that it doesn't only happen in Asian and Arab countries.