‘Nutcracker’ Is a Casualty of a ‘Quarantine’ of Russian Culture in Lithuania

Unimpressed by the substitute for Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker,” the mom and her younger daughter left on the intermission, a small protest over a choice by the opera home to not carry out the Russian composer’s Christmas traditional.

“Everything about ‘The Nutcracker’ is a lot better — the music, the dance, the story,” stated Egle Brediene, 38, hurrying out of Lithuanian’s National Opera and Ballet Theater this previous week after the primary act of a alternative ballet composed by an Italian.

Lithuania, an unwavering supporter of Ukraine within the struggle waged by Russia, put aside Tchaikovsky and the vacation favourite two years in the past after declaring a “psychological quarantine” from Russian tradition in a gesture of solidarity towards the aggressor.

That stirred grumbling by theatergoers, however their annoyance had largely calmed — till a brand new authorities took energy in Lithuania this month and a newly put in tradition minister introduced that he appreciated listening to Tchaikovsky. There was no cause, the minister, Sarunas Birutis, stated in a radio interview, to be “afraid that after watching a Christmas fairy story we’ll change into pro-Kremlin.”

His remarks prompted fury from ardent supporters of Ukraine and applause from lovers of Russian music, igniting a bitter debate, largely one between generations, about whether or not tradition and politics may be separated at a time of struggle.

Many within the artwork world oppose banning works on the idea of their nationality, believing that tradition has the facility to unite and shouldn’t be contaminated by politics.