Classical
music is probably regarded as the most perfect and intricate kind of music
there is. And this is probably due to the fact that it actually is.
Furthermore, classical musicians regard their art form as a Godsend gift full
of mysticism and above all other mundane matters; and to some degree I can
relate to this because that was the way I thought when I first started studying
music. The mystique of it, the way it
touches your soul makes you think there’s nothing in the world quite like it.
And there isn’t.
Due
to the recent turmoil going on in Venezuela because of the political protests,
controversy has sparked in the classical music world. Venezuelan pianist
Gabriela Montero has called on José Abreu and Gustavo Dudamel, Venezuelan
conductor and classical music “wunderkind”, to speak up and take a stand
against a totalitarian regime that is abusing and shooting its citizens on the
streets and starving the people. However, Dudamel only issued a statement
saying that he rejected violence and felt sorry for the lives lost, but nothing
about politics, the government or the opposition.
This
can be looked at from two different angles; Dudamel is a product of El Sistema, Venezuela’s music program
for youth, arguably the best one in the world, that is being replicated in
other countries such as Colombia and even the United States with the support of
Dudamel himself and his orchestra, the L.A. Phil. His standpoint is perfectly
respectable as he is still involved with El
Sistema working in Venezuela a couple of times a year conducting their main
orchestra and touring with Venezuelan kids. It is quite understandably that he
does not want to say anything about the government because this programs
depends on the government and, well, maybe he is a supporter of the Chavista regime, which is also fine.
Maybe he simply believes art to be above and beyond all this political
craziness as has happened with other cultural institutions such as the
Metropolitan Opera.
Now,
from Gabriela Montero’s point of view is also understandable that she is asking
for some kind of support from one of Venezuela’s biggest star in her own field.
Being thrown into the public eye like this musician have seems to demand a kind
of big social responsibility towards their people and home country, especially
in times like this where the violence is escalating and where the regime has
been shown to have bigger shortcomings than benefits for the people. At least
Montero thinks so.
So,
who’s right? I honestly don’t know. I command both musicians for being
supportive of Venezuelan people, each one through their own work. Should you
take a stand? It’s difficult to say. When the Met decided not to “say anything”
about the gay ban in Russia, they still said something; they didn’t dedicate
their concert to the cause but still said that they speak through actions with
the choosing of their repertoire (which includes gay Russian composers such as
Tchaikovsky) and their cast and staff (which also includes some fabulous gay performers
and workers). Maybe they are both right. I would take a stand and say something
if it was up to me as a public figure. Sadly, because I'm not a public figure, my support doesn’t mean nearly as
much as Dudamel’s.
