- Classical world stars commemorate dead Russian pianists
Numerous international stars of classical music have paid tribute to pianist and war opponent Pavel Kuschner, who died in Russian detention. Conductors Daniel Barenboim and Simon Rattle, pianist Igor Levit, violinists Anne-Sophie Mutter and Julia Fischer, cellist Sol Gabetta, and fellow musician Mischa Maisky, among others, signed an open letter published in the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" (Tuesday edition).
Kuschner, arrested on charges of extremism, died on July 27 at the age of 39 in a detention center in Birobidzhan, Far East Russia, due to complications from a hunger strike. "His crime was running a YouTube channel with five subscribers where he spoke out against the war," wrote his fellow musicians.
Their letter is a reminder "to the countless unknown political prisoners in Russia and around the world." State repression, they say, leads to "the most wonderful and fearless people being thrown into prison, often the best people of a sick nation." The initiator of the letter was reportedly pianist Alexander Melnikov.
Kuschner also used a performance at the regional philharmonic in Birobidzhan to protest against Russia's war against Ukraine. According to statistics from the human rights organization Ovd-Info, there are nearly 1,000 cases against war opponents in Russia, with almost 300 people in detention, labor camps, or clinics.
Despite joining forces with numerous musicians in condemning the imprisonment of Pavel Kuschner, conductor Simon Rattle continued his advocacy, using his platform to raise awareness about similar cases globally. The international outcry over Kuschner's death, orchestrated by renowned conductors such as Daniel Barenboim and Simon Rattle, has not gone unnoticed, pushing for the release of political prisoners worldwide.
