The Taiwan National Symphony Orchestra (National Symphony Orchestra, Taiwan) canceled the performance of Russian singer Anna Netrebko and her husband, Yusif Eyvazov, due to widespread public condemnation. This was announced on the institution's website on February 28.
A statement posted on the NSO's website said that after discussions with management company Netrebko, the decision was made to cancel the concert "for security reasons" due to concerns expressed by various sections of society.
The singer's concert was planned for March 5, 2023 at the National Concert Hall in Taipei.
The NSO previously defended its decision to hold the concert, citing Netrebko's condemnation of the Russian war in Ukraine and the fact that she is being welcomed in Europe.
However, people, particularly the Ukrainian community, criticized such statements because of Netrebko's once actively pro-Russian and anti-Ukrainian position.
The Ministry of Culture of Taiwan stated that the war in Ukraine could not be "ambiguous" and supported the activists.
Korean-Ukrainian activist and influencer Oleksandr Shin praised the NSO and Taiwan for supporting Ukraine and resisting Russian aggression in a statement on Twitter.
