Russian director Nikita Mikhalkov spoke out sharply against the planned concerts of American rapper Kanye West in St. Petersburg. According to Mikhalkov, the appearance of the performer in the city would be offensive for a place with the historical memory of the Leningrad blockade.
Mikhalkov commented on the topic to journalists within the framework of the International Cultural Forum in St. Petersburg. He stated that it is unacceptable for the city to host an artist whom he accuses of promoting Nazi ideas.
„In St. Petersburg, the former blockaded Leningrad, the performance of a person who propagates Nazism... for the walls of this city, for the embankments, for the Neva, for the Peter and Paul Fortress – "this is humiliation," the director said.
Mikhalkov emphasized the memory of the people who survived the siege of Leningrad.
According to him, tens of thousands of spectators could attend the concerts, while many of the people who survived the blockade can no longer be among the audience.
Concerts remain in question
There is considerable uncertainty surrounding West's planned concerts in St. Petersburg.
Initially, two dates were announced - October 10 and 11 at the “Gazprom Arena“. The organizers announced the event in August, and tickets began to be sold.
Subsequently, however, “Gazprom Arena“ stated that a contract for the concerts had not been concluded. Information about the event was removed from the stadium's website.
On September 24, West's poster reappeared on the organizer's website, and tickets were once again available for sale. At the same time, there is no official confirmation from “Gazprom Arena“.
So at the moment it remains unclear whether the concerts will take place, and where exactly.
What is behind the criticism
Kanye West has been the subject of criticism for years for a number of his public statements, including those that have been defined as anti-Semitic and pro-Nazi.
It is precisely this public image of his that underlies Mikhalkov's words.
The Russian director connects the issue not so much with the American artist's music, but with the place where he would give a concert.
For Mikhalkov, St. Petersburg is not just a large concert market, but a city whose historical heritage is inextricably linked to World War II and the blockade.
For now, the final status of West's concerts in St. Petersburg remains unclear.