Belgian organisers are accused of ‘naked antisemitism’ after cancelling performance by Lahav Shani
A Belgian classical music festival has axed a leading German orchestra from its programme over concerns about its Israeli conductor, drawing accusations of antisemitism from Berlin.
Flanders Festival Ghent announced it had cancelled a concert by the Munich Philharmonic scheduled for 18 September, citing insufficient clarity over Lahav Shani’s attitude to the Israeli government.
Shani, who is the music director of the Israel Philharmonic, was expected to lead the concert even though he does not officially take up his role as chief conductor of the German orchestra until next year.
The Ghent festival, an annual event drawing about 50,000 visitors to the capital of East Flanders, said in a statement on its website on Wednesday that it had made the decision to cancel the concert “on the basis of our deepest conviction that music should be a source of connection and reconciliation”.
