Overview

• The Reggia di Caserta Directorate formally canceled Valery Gergiev’s July 27 concert after Nobel laureates’ letters, a 16,000-signature petition and fears of Ukrainian group protests over his Kremlin ties.
• Bologna Mayor Matteo Lepore announced the removal of Alexander Romanovsky’s August 5 recital following objections to the pianist’s perceived pro-Russian associations.
• Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli defended the moves by distinguishing between unfettered artistic expression and the potential misuse of performances as state propaganda.
• Campania Governor Vincenzo De Luca criticized the decision as “shocking,” questioning where to draw the line between freedom of expression and political messaging.
• Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova condemned the cancellations as an unprecedented, discriminatory form of “cancel culture” and lodged a formal protest.