Valerijus Gergijevas

Valerijus Gergijevas is a prominent Russian conductor and the artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. Known for his deep association with the Russian cultural scene and his close ties to President Vladimir Putin, Gergijevas has been a significant figure in classical music. However, since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, he has faced international scrutiny and has been labeled a 'persona non grata' in several Western countries for not condemning the war. Recently, he was in the news for conducting a concert in Italy, which prompted calls from the widow of Alexei Navalny to cancel the event due to his pro-Kremlin stance.