Russia’s Bolshoi Drops Shows By Two Directors Who Spoke Out Against War

The prestigious Bolshoi Theatre in Russia has abruptly canceled a series of performances by two directors who have both spoken out against the ongoing war in Ukraine. The theatre cited no official justification for canceling Timofey Kuliabin’s Don Pasquale opera and Kirill Serebrennikov’s Nureyev dance. Kuliabin has used his Instagram account to voice his support for Ukraine and mock Russia’s narrative of its actions in the country, which lacked any mention of conflict. He mocked up the cover of Leo Tolstoy’s book War and Peace in one post, substituting the first word of the title with “Special Operation,” the euphemism used by the Kremlin to describe the invasion. 

In a recent interview with France 24, Serebrennikov said that “it’s fairly evident that Russia launched the war,” and that it broke his heart. As reported by Al Jazeera Serebrennikov said, “It’s war, it’s killing people, it’s the worst thing [that] ever might happen with civilisation, with mankind… It’s a humanitarian catastrophe, it’s rivers of blood”. 

Several Bolshoi dancers have left in recent weeks, including prima ballerina Olga Smirnova, who left to join the Dutch National Ballet after criticising Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Tugan Sokhiev, the music director and chief conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre, announced his retirement in March, citing pressure to take a stand on the Ukraine conflict.

The right to freedom of expression is a basic human right. All other human rights are reinforced, allowing society to thrive and progress. The freedom to openly express ourselves and speak our minds is critical for societal transformation. One of the most important cornerstones of a democratic society is freedom of expression, which includes not just information and views that are well welcomed but also those that offend, shock, or upset. Given that the Bolshoi Theatre is largely funded by the government, the Russian government should respect and preserve the right of Russian citizens to freely receive and transmit information, as well as to express opposing or critical viewpoints. In addition, the threat of losing one’s job or position due to speaking out against the state creates a hostile environment for many to work in. This is emphasized in this particular case from the loss of talent in the theatre as they choose to join other institutions. 

There have been restrictions and censorship regarding free speech and expression in Russia, historically and it has only increased with the current war in Ukraine. The lack of open contestation to the actions of the government negates the opportunity for social change to be enacted and poses a threat to the functioning of civil society. 

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