Because Lisitsa the political campaigner is insulting and offensive, Lisitsa the pianist must be shunned too. You are contributing to debate and discussion, and helping to make this website a more open place. Sixteen videos of her performances have more than one million views, with her performance of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata eclipsing nine million views. Re: Striking a false note, Editorial April 8. Ms. Lisitsa's tweets about the Ukrainian regime have included some harsh comparisons with Nazi Germany, sometimes laced with morbid comedy. Ms. Lisitsa did not respond to requests for an interview on Monday. “Yes, they will pay my fee but they are going to announce that I will be unable to play and they already found a substitute.”, A statement from TSO president and CEO Jeff Melanson seemed to confirm Lisitsa’s account, saying the pianist was replaced “due to ongoing accusations of deeply offensive language by Ukrainian media outlets.”. 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Listen and subscribe to get a daily fix on the latest political news and issues. Renowned Ukrainian-born pianist Valentina Lisitsa has held a concern in Donetsk, as she continues her strong opposition to Kiev’s military offensive in country’s east, even after her views cost her performances with Toronto Symphony Orchestra. “How can you discriminate against a prominent musician just because your government has different opinion than she.”. Valentina Lisitsa has never been one to hide her political views. The group allegedly contacted the TSO, and notified them of tweets made by Valentina Lisitsa which included a tweet pertaining to the Charlie Hebdo caricatures. “Toronto Symphony is going TO PAY ME NOT TO PLAY because I exercised the right to free speech,” she wrote. Impressed by her YouTube success, the Royal Albert Hall, in an unprecedented step, opened its doors for Valentina’s London debut … Elle signe ici une grande version du 4e Concerto qui suit ses précédents enregistrements des œuvres concertantes de Rachmaninov, dont elle a à la fois l'ébouriffante virtuosité et l'absence d'emphase. But our personal political views don't matter in this case. As of Monday, the venue’s website now lists Stewart Goodyear in her place on piano. "As one of Canada's most important cultural institutions," Mr. Melanson's statement says, "our priority must remain on being a stage for the world's great works of music, and not for opinions that some believe to be deeply offensive.". Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. Thank you for your fair and balanced reporting on the Toronto Symphony Orchestra/Valentina Lisitsa issue. Valery Gergiev, who has conducted the orchestra without incident, is a well-known supporter and confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin. We will not publish: Comments written that are poorly spelled; or are written in caps; or which use strange formatting to get noticed. It is not clear what harm the TSO expected if Ms. Lisitsa performed. Late Monday morning, Lisitsa wrote a lengthy post on her Facebook page telling her fans about the pro-Russia views she shares on Twitter under the handle “NedoUkraïnka,” and how the TSO was set to replace her in the symphony’s planned performance of Rachmaninoff Concerto #2. Three years ago, a Google Analytics report on her social-media heft clinched her a sold-out show at London's Royal Albert Hall that 100,000 people streamed online. We will not publish comments that are profane, libelous, racist, or engage in personal attacks. Her replacement for the concerts is Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear. Scoop a new vibe in the numbers and do today’s Daily Sudoku. Kick back with the Daily Universal Crossword. Texans faced with thousands of dollars in electric bills after winter storm, Nearly 30,000 Macs reportedly infected with mysterious malware, 'Saturday Night Live' mocks Ted Cruz's trip to Cancun and others who needed to apologize, Photographer captures once-in-a-lifetime photo of yellow penguin, CTV National News: Ramping up vaccine deliveries, Puppy rescued after four days on frozen river. "These are only a few examples of the hateful opinions that Ms. Lisitsa has shared through her Twitter account. Twitter responded with a hashtag – #letvalentinaplay – and a barrage of tweets in her support. We screen for comments that seek to spread information that is false or misleading. Editor's note: A previous version of this article said incorrectly that The Ukrainian Weekly is based in Edmonton. As of Monday evening, Lisitsa’s Facebook post about her cancelled Toronto performance had been shared nearly 1,500 times, prompting a wave of backlash on the TSO’s own page. A terse statement by TSO president Jeff Melanson said Ms. Lisitsa was let go over "ongoing accusations of deeply offensive language by Ukrainian media outlets.". Mr. Gergiev was dropped from a Poland-themed festival concert in Germany in November, apparently after a complaint from the Polish embassy. If you're using an alias, make sure it's unique. We aim to have all comments reviewed in a timely manner. "If they do it once, they will do it again and again, until the musicians, artists are intimidated into voluntary censorship," she wrote. With more than 200 million YouTube views and some 500,000 subscribers to her channel, Valentina Lisitsa is one of the most watched classical musicians on the internet, using digital innovation to champion classical music and performance. Sign in to YouTube. A YouTube video of her performance of Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata has more than nine million views. En tout cas, la pianiste ukrainienne Valentina Lisitsa a déjà gravi les plus hauts sommets du monde classique. ", Mr. Grod said he supports the TSO's decision. Comments are not open on some news articles; Bell Media reserves the right to choose commenting availability. But Lisitsa insists she has been censored by the TSO for expressing her political views as a "private person." A check-in on the public mood of Canadians with hosts Michael Stittle and Nik Nanos. Valentina Evguenievna Lissitsa ... Plusieurs enregistrements de Valentina Lisitsa sont disponibles sur YouTube. Switch gears. Comments are moderated and will not appear on site until they have been reviewed. The majority of posts expressed concern over the decision, citing the decision as an affront to free speech. Ms. Lisitsa has an enormous international following owing to her hundreds of YouTube videos with over 72 million views, so it is especially troubling to see her social media pages spread her abhorrent racist and anti-Ukrainian convictions. The orchestra replaced "the Symphony Six" for the tour, and at the end of the season did not renew their contracts. But on Monday, she received the news that her performances had been cancelled, a sudden decision which Lisitsa told Sputnik amounts to political censorship. Valentina Evgenievna Lisitsa (tiếng Ukraina: Валенти́на Евге́ньевна Лиси́ця, dịch. Thank you for your patience. 2, has no political subtext. Ukrainian-born Valentina Lisitsa was primed to perform Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. "Music can't be silenced!". “This isn't censorship, this is exactly what is necessary,” said another commenter. A main conclusion of this analysis is that the ad-hominem attacks against Valentina Lisitsa – which, through a malicious exegesis of every word she has aired in Twitter wishes to appear as a simple exposing of alleged personal attributes and “unacceptable arguing style” – is just the cover of a deeper psy-op alike design, aimed to invalidate the famous artist’s political views … Arts organizations can simply say that they take no position on the political views of the artists that they feature. Valentina Lisitsa is not only the first «YouTube star» of classical music; more importantly, she is the first classical artist to have converted her internet success into a global concert career in the principal venues of Europe, the USA, South America and Asia. by Maxim Boon on April 7, 2015 | Ukrainian pianist has rallied support on social media after being axed from two performances. only for their performing qualities. The Symphony Six did not have access to social media, where Ms. Lisitsa has a formidable presence. In an email sent to Valentina’s agent, the TSO stated: “the Toronto Symphony Orchestra received some messages from ticket buyers and others expressing concern over pianist Valentina Lisitsa’s public political … Valentina Lisitsa (Ukrainian: ... "Lisitsa was not invited to Toronto to discuss her provocative political views. “I am not a bloodthirsty person, but....My fellow compatriots, arise! Preference is given to commenters who use real names. It is time for the TSO to acknowledge that they can no longer hide their own biases and to stop kowtowing to ferociously reactionary political lobbies. "Most disturbing are Ms. Lisitsa's false allegations that the government of Ukraine is 'Nazi,' and stating that the Government of Ukraine is setting up 'filtration camps,'" he said. Soloists never speak from the platform unless invited to do so by the conductor. Lisitsa said that the orchestra threatened her if she spoke about the … The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has cancelled appearances this week by Ukrainian-born piano soloist Valentina Lisitsa, apparently because of tweets she posted that were hostile to the current Ukrainian government. Others, though, supported the symphony’s decision to replace Lisitsa. Some in her corner argue for no more than her right to offend without being punished professionally. Pianist Valentina Lisitsa shown in an image from her Facebook page. The Ukrainian-born pianist Valentina Lisitsa has become even more famous than she's already been among the online community, after her political views cost her a job with a Canadian orchestra. The work she was to perform, Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. The TSO's Facebook page was flooded on Monday with messages of support for Ms. Lisitsa and a few more critical responses. Thank you for following these guidelines and contributing your thoughts. Talk of Twitter ushers in discussion of a more controversial side to Lisitsa’s online activities. In the past, Valentina has also been known as Valentina Eugene Lisitsa, Valentina E Lisitsa and Valentina Lisitsa Alexei. 351 King Street East, Suite 1600, Toronto, ON Canada, M5A 0N1, Just $1.99 per week for the first 24 weeks, var select={root:".js-sub-pencil",control:".js-sub-pencil-control",open:"o-sub-pencil--open",closed:"o-sub-pencil--closed"},dom={},allowExpand=!0;function pencilInit(o){var e=arguments.length>1&&void 0!==arguments[1]&&arguments[1];select.root=o,dom.root=document.querySelector(select.root),dom.root&&(dom.control=document.querySelector(select.control),dom.control.addEventListener("click",onToggleClicked),setPanelState(e),window.addEventListener("scroll",onWindowScroll),dom.root.removeAttribute("hidden"))}function isPanelOpen(){return dom.root.classList.contains(select.open)}function setPanelState(o){dom.root.classList[o?"add":"remove"](select.open),dom.root.classList[o? ", Conductor Adrian Bryttan, writing in the New Jersey-based Ukrainian Weekly, lambasted Ms. Lisitsa in an article in December, for "anti-Ukraine hate speech." finance minister, Quebec reports lowest increase of COVID-19 cases in months with 666 new infections as hospitalizations drop, Ontario reports more than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases for fourth straight day, Drumheller drug deaths devastate community as victims are identified, CTV National News for Feb. 21: Ramping up the rollout, Confusion ahead of Canada's largest shipment of vaccines, Canada's new air, land travel measures take effect Monday, Stricter public health measures now in effect at Canadian borders, airports, Travellers complain of unanswered calls, long wait times to book quarantine hotels, Canada to receive record 640K vaccine doses this week with Pfizer, Moderna deliveries, Canada's 'long-haulers' without family doctor need primary care: medical association, Class-action lawsuit launched by Canadian women alleges bladder pain drug damaged their eyesight, White supremacy a 'transnational threat,' UN chief warns, Puppy rescued after surviving four days in Detroit River, Vince Carter launches scholarship program for GTA students. Give your brain a workout and do today’s Daily Cryptic Crossword. Cette dernière livraison remet les pendules à l'heure en … Sign in. Montera-t-elle un jour les marches de Cannes? “As one of Canada’s most important cultural institutions, our priority must remain on being a stage for the world’s great works of music, and not for opinions that some believe to be deeply offensive.”. "Most disturbing are Ms. Lisitsa's false allegations that the government of Ukraine is 'Nazi,' and stating that the Government of Ukraine is setting up 'filtration camps,'" he said. “Valentina Lisitsa’s provocative comments have overshadowed past performances,” the statement read, possibly referring to a small protest that formed outside of a Pittsburgh performance last year. Sur le réseau social, la pianiste née à Kiev et résidant aux Etats-Unis critique vivement les nationalistes de son pays natal, dont les actes sont comparés à ceux des Nazis pendant la Seconde guerre mondiale. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has cancelled an upcoming performance by Ukrainian-born pianist Valentina Lisitsa, apparently over her outspoken political views. Valentina Lisitsa voulait devenir championne d'échecs, mais elle est devenue pianiste pour notre plus grand plaisir. Use of this Website assumes acceptance of Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. If you are looking to give feedback on our new site, please send it along to, To view this site properly, enable cookies in your browser. Now she is being attacked by large government-backed propaganda machines and other large public relations entities. The TSO's record on freedom of speech was tarnished in 1951, when six players were refused visas for a U.S. tour over alleged communist sympathies. Listen and subscribe to get a weekly update with the newsmakers who matter. Stop this gang of thieves before it's too late,” she also wrote, apparently in response to the country’s farm land being put up for sale. Summary: Valentina Lisitsa's birthday is 03/25/1970 and is 50 years old. On August 28, she Tweeted the following two photographs of African villagers juxtaposed with Ukrainians with the caption: We aim to create a safe and valuable space for discussion and debate. And second, banning a musician for expressing "opinions that some believe to be offensive" shows an utter failure to grasp the concept of free speech." This article was published more than 5 years ago. Now Valentina’s concert in Toronto, which was scheduled for April 8 and 9 at the Roy Thomson Hall, has been cancelled for an outrageous reason—her political views. "I don't even know who my accusers are, I am kept in the dark about it.". Her career was built in part on her Internet following. "In defence of freedom of speech, #letvalentinaplay," it reads. Résultat encore gagnant: Valentina Lisitsa est invitée en 2012 au Royal Albert Hall pour un concert à guichet fermé et retransmis en direct sur Internet.Au printemps 2012, elle signe avec DECCA qui édite en DVD/CD ce concert-évènement avant de sortir le présent album ; « probablement le défi le plus ambitieux qu'un pianiste puisse relever au cours de sa carrière » … The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has found itself in the eye of a twitter-storm today, after dismissing Ukrainian pianist Valentina Lisitsa from two performances of … of soloists (by firing one of them on those grounds) … We hope to have this fixed soon. In addition to more than 9,000 Twitter followers, the pianist has 177,000 YouTube subscribers. We welcome your comments. Her Twitter statements have outraged prominent members of the Ukrainian-Canadian community, which broadly supports the current government. A screenshot from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's website. Sadly, Valentina Lisitsa is not apologetic. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has cancelled an upcoming performance by Ukrainian-born pianist Valentina Lisitsa, apparently over her outspoken political views. We will not publish comments that link to outside websites. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra isn't responsible for the views, inclinations, behavior off stage etc. A screenshot of the message and photo posted Monday by Ukrainian-born pianist Valentia Lisitsa (Facebook). Click here to subscribe. Two TSO board members resigned in protest. “Whether or not one agrees with Ms. Lisitsa’s political views, at this time at the CPO,” Ms. Slater said, “Our agreement with her is as a guest artist, to perform Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto with our orchestra in June.” For more on Valentina Lisitsa, in … Now Valentina’s concert in Toronto, which was scheduled for April 8 and 9 at the Roy Thomson Hall, has been cancelled for an outrageous reason—her political views. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) has become subject to divided opinions over its recent decision to fire American pianist Valentina Lisitsa, a prominent musical figure born in Soviet Ukraine of Russian descent who has since become known for her vitriolic online campaigns supporting the Russian war effort. People who really cared about Valentina Lisitsa’s musical career should have waited until she retracted some of her offensive tweets, and then attempt to rebuild her reputation on a musical, not political foundation. Ms. Lisitsa wrote that the TSO, which offered to pay her entire fee for the cancelled shows, threatened reprisals if she went public about the reason. Valentina Lisitsa (ukrainien : Валентина Лисиця, translit. Valentina Lisitsya, russe : Валентина Лисица) est une pianiste ukrainienne née à Kiev le 11 décembre 1973 et habitant en Caroline du Nord. Mr. Melanson, who refused requests for an interview, issued his note after Ms. Lisitsa revealed the incident on Monday morning in a long, impassioned note linked to her Twitter and Facebook accounts. “Promoting hate speech by letting this woman play in Toronto would be horrible on the part of the TSO. Type in the characters you see in the picture below. Loading... Save. “Are you an orchestra or political censors?” wrote one commenter. Valentina Lisitsa The Piano Vault; 29 videos; 95 views; Last updated on Dec 31, 2017; Play all Share. Before moving to Valentina's current city of New Bern, NC, Valentina lived in Dallas TX and North Bay Village FL. Readers can also interact with The Globe on Facebook and Twitter . Toronto Symphony drop Lisitsa for pro-Russian political views. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. "The worst thing that can happen to any country is fratricidal war," she says in her statement, "people seeing each other, their neighbours as enemies to be eliminated. This is a space where subscribers can engage with each other and Globe staff. Valentina is just one lone, brave individual person expressing her views forcefully. Valentina Lisitsa devait interpréter avec la phalange canadienne le Concerto pour piano n°2 de Rachmaninov. Read our, I'm a print subscriber, link to my account, Avoid the use of toxic and offensive language. "Ms. Lisitsa has been engaged in a long campaign on social media belittling, insulting and disparaging the people of Ukraine as they face direct military aggression at the hands of the Russian Federation," Paul Grod, president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, said in an e-mail exchange. Will the pandemic put an end to open concept offices? In an email sent to Valentina’s agent, the TSO stated: “the Toronto Symphony Orchestra received some messages from ticket buyers and others expressing concern over pianist Valentina Lisitsa’s public political … Témoins, ses … Striking a false note, Editorial April 8. "In a new European Ukraine, the camps will give the subhumans [ethnic Russians] condemned to gas chambers an opportunity to offset their carbon footprint," she says in one. A photo of the artist with duct tape superimposed over her mouth covered the comment section of many of the symphony’s posts, along with the words “Toronto Symphony, let Valentina play.”. "There is freedom of speech, freedom of … ", "You might find some of [my tweets] offensive," she says, "[but] satire and hyperbole are the best literary tools to combat the lies. Perhaps she knows that it is easier to claim persecution than to compete with thousands of talented and motivated … And she doesn't plan on being silenced, she told RT. If you have trouble reading the characters in the picture, click it to see a new one. Washington Post Online wrote: “It’s striking that her playing is relatively straightforward. As a musician, Lisitsa has a fairly large following online. Her tweets are strongly supportive of the Russian minority in Ukraine, but she seems to oppose the civil war. That means: If you do not see your comment posted immediately, it is being reviewed by the moderation team and may appear shortly, generally within an hour. Comments that violate our community guidelines will not be posted. Please be advised: Lisitsa, who was born in Kiev, Ukraine and now lives in the U.S., was scheduled to play at Roy Thomson Hall on April 8 and 9 with conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste. 2 with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra this week. Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. In fact, it is based in New Jersey. Ms. Lisitsa is an ethnic Russian who was born in Ukraine and speaks Ukrainian (she now lives in North Carolina). A screenshot of comments left on the Toronto Symphony Orchestra's Facebook page. He ended his article by saying: "Ukrainian communities might be interested to greet Ms. Lisitsa at her upcoming concerts … with the Toronto Symphony.". Good job!!!!”. Published Monday, April 6, 2015 8:13PM EDT, Last Updated Monday, April 6, 2015 8:38PM EDT, country’s farm land being put up for sale, Four people criminally charged after bottles were allegedly thrown from Toronto balcony during party, Canadian helps rescue stranded dog on Detroit River ice in international effort, Pandemic 'number 1' priority in Thursday's budget: Alta. © Copyright 2021 The Globe and Mail Inc. All rights reserved. The CEO of the TSO has maneuvered his orchestra in a situation wherein it has not only taken responsibility for the personal views etc.