Russian Opera Singer Defends Classical Music Against Racism Allegations

Russian Opera Singer Defends Classical Music Against Racism Allegations

Classical music has a proven record of building bridges between cultures, improving lives and enriching communities, which makes recent accusations of elitism and racism all the more unfortunate, Russian-Kurdish opera star Svetlana Kasyan told Sputnik

ST. PETERSBURG (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 07th January, 2022) Classical music has a proven record of building bridges between cultures, improving lives and enriching communities, which makes recent accusations of elitism and racism all the more unfortunate, Russian-Kurdish opera star Svetlana Kasyan told Sputnik.

Recent headlines show that the realm of classical music and arts is being dragged into the "woke" public debate, with all its tenets not conforming to today's moralistic standards being discarded as prejudiced.

Most recently, the Berlin State Ballet removed the Ivan Tchaikovsky masterwork Nutcracker from its Christmas ballet repertoire citing ethnic folk dances showcasing Arabian and Chinese cultures that were racially motivated. The music of Ludwig van Beethoven is now being derided as a symbol of "elitism and exclusion" in the US commentariat. Little, if any, historical context is provided to the facts that ethnically-themed numbers in traditional ballets were some of the only ways that people of previous centuries were exposed to faraway civilizations; much less that Beethoven's symphonies are the closest thing to an anthem of humanity that we have.

"Classical arts have a unique power to unite people. It is a shame that these beautiful art forms are labeled racist," Kasyan said.

She went on to underscore the positive effects of classical music on mental and physical health as established by numerous scientific studies.

"The healing phenomenon of classical music is widely used across the world, has been scientifically proven and observed for many for centuries," Kasyan added.

In December, the singer released her first solo album under the title "Fratelli Tutti", which in Italian means "we are all brothers" showcasing her message of multicultural togetherness that classical music can prompt. She dedicated it to the 85th birthday of Pope Francis.

"This is my first solo album, it was recorded in June in a studio in Los Angeles. The album, I hope, will appeal to everyone and is a reminder that people of different religions and nationalities need to live in peace. The album includes compositions in 14 different languages � Italian, Georgian, Kazakh Armenian, Hebrew, Latin, Chinese, Japanese and others," Kasyan said.

The album reflects the opera starlets own background and upbringing. She was born and raised in Georgia in a Yazidi family of the northern Kurdish-speaking minority. She lost her father in her youth, and with the rest of her family fled to Kazakhstan when after the outbreak of the Georgian-Ossetian war. She eventually found her way to Moscow where she, according to her, received "the best education" and eventually became a soloist with the iconic Bolshoi Theater, winning several prestigious international prizes and becoming a world-known soprano.

In 2019, Pope Francis awarded Kasyan the star of the Lady of the Grand Cross of the Pontifical Order of Saint Sylvester for her achievements in the field of arts and culture.

"The Holy Father blessed my voice and told me to use it to give glory to God. Our meeting deeply moved me. I hope for peace and an end of violence around the globe. The world should learn again to listen to each other. Peace and music should reign again," Kasyan said.