Moscow, July 24 (LaPresse) – Russia does not intend to respond to the cancellation of conductor Valery Gergiev’s concert in Italy. “In the current situation, the only thing I can say is that we will not cancel anyone. We are open to Italian artists. We are open to artists from all countries who want to perform in Russia, as long as they do not violate Russian laws,” said Mikhail Shvydkoi, the Russian President’s special representative for international cultural cooperation, to the Tass news agency.
He also expressed regret over the cancellation of Gergiev’s concert in Italy: “In my opinion, cultural relations between Russia and Italy have always been stronger than political ones,” he said.