The Mannheim Philharmonic has canceled a concert featuring violinist Vadim Repin after an official appeal from the Embassy of Ukraine in Germany. This was reported by BackstageClassical, writes UNN.
Details
The violinist was scheduled to perform Sergei Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto with the Mannheim Philharmonic on February 22 — just before the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
A few days ago, the event page on the Mannheim Philharmonic website became unavailable, and BackstageClassical repeatedly delayed responses to inquiries.
Ukrainian Embassy's Objection
Earlier, the Ukrainian embassy in Berlin expressed concern about Repin's planned performance in Mannheim and sent an official letter to the mayor of Mannheim and the organizers. It was noted that Repin has been involved in state-funded cultural projects of the Kremlin for many years and has received awards and financial support from Russia since the beginning of the war.
Repin's wife is a prima ballerina of the Moscow Bolshoi Theater and was a deputy of the Kremlin's United Russia party. Repin himself is considered less politically active, but, according to Ukrainian media, he maintains close ties with Russian state structures. For example, in 2022, he received the title of "People's Artist of the Russian Federation" and repeatedly performed at officially propagandistic concerts.
Mannheim's Explanation
Previously, the city of Mannheim and the philharmonic explained that this was a private cultural event over which state bodies had no direct influence. Now the orchestra has issued an official statement to BackstageClassical:
"A few days ago, we received a letter from the Embassy of Ukraine in Germany requesting the cancellation of the Mannheim Philharmonic concert featuring Vadim Repin. This letter clearly and unequivocally states the concerns of the Ukrainian community in Germany. As the Mannheim Philharmonic has actively supported Ukrainians affected by the war for many years, we took this request with the utmost seriousness and respect. After careful internal discussion, we unanimously decided to accommodate the wishes of our Ukrainian compatriots and cancel the concert. It was important for us to consider the perspective of the Ukrainian community after this direct request."
Recall
The del Maggio Musicale Theater in Florence canceled the performances of Russian ballerina Svetlana Zakharova and her husband due to international tensions. Spectators can get refunds for tickets until January 31, 2026.