Overview

• The Munich orchestra had been scheduled to perform at Flanders Festival Ghent on 18 September.
• Festival statements cite Shani’s role as Israel Philharmonic music director and an unclear stance toward Israel’s government as reasons for the exclusion.
• Organizers said the move aligns with calls from Ghent’s culture minister, the city council and the local cultural sector.
• The orchestra and Munich city authorities condemned the decision as an attack on European and democratic values and rejected collective punishment of Israeli artists.
• Shani, who is Tel Aviv-born and leads the Israel Philharmonic, is slated to become the Munich orchestra’s chief conductor in September 2026.