Italy dance gala drops Russian ballerina, sparks backlash
A planned appearance by renowned Russian ballerina Svetlana Zakharova at a Rome dance gala has been canceled, triggering political backlash in Italy.
Zakharova, a star of the Bolshoi Theatre and a known supporter of Vladimir Putin, had been scheduled to perform at the “Les Etoiles” gala on March 20–21. Organizers said the decision followed institutional concerns about the symbolic role of cultural events amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The move drew criticism from Matteo Salvini, leader of the League party, who called the decision “Russophobia” and argued that excluding Russian artists does not help end the conflict.
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The incident highlights ongoing tensions in Europe over the participation of Russian cultural figures in international events since the start of the Ukraine war.
By Aysel Mammadzada
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