Estonian Festival Orchestra cancels China concert over Russian links

The Estonian Festival Orchestra, led by conductor Paavo Järvi, has cancelled a concert planned for the following day in Wuxi, China, after learning of the local symphony orchestra’s close ties to Russia, ERR reported.

The Wuxi orchestra toured Russia last year as part of official China-Russia cultural years and has performed with the Russian National Orchestra. After learning about its prospective partner’s background, the Estonian musicians refused to take part in the joint concert.

The cancellation could cost the Estonian Festival Orchestra hundreds of thousands of euros, although the exact amount is not yet known. The musicians said performing would have conflicted with their principles and caused irreparable damage to their reputation.