International tensions lead Maggio Musicale to suspend Zakharova–Repin ballet

The Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino has suspended the ballet Pas de deux for toes and fingers, featuring ballerina Svetlana Zakharova and violinist Vadim Repin, explicitly linking the decision to the current international situation.

In an official statement released on 8 January 2026, the theatre said that the ongoing international tensions have created a climate that could jeopardise the smooth and appropriate presentation of the event. For this reason, the performances scheduled in Florence on 20 and 21 January have been described as “temporarily suspended”, with no indication at this stage of possible alternative dates.

Culture and geopolitics

While the statement does not refer to specific diplomatic or political actions, the reference to international tensions places the decision clearly within the broader context of the war in Ukraine and its repercussions across Europe’s cultural sector.

In recent days, reports had circulated on websites and information channels close to Ukraine suggesting that Ukraine’s embassy in Italy had asked the City of Florence and the Maggio Musicale to cancel the performances. According to those reports, the concern was that the appearance of artists perceived as institutionally close to the Russian state could take on an unavoidable symbolic meaning during an ongoing conflict. The theatre has neither confirmed nor commented on these claims, limiting its public explanation to the general international climate.

Zakharova’s profile has been particularly sensitive in this context. Born in Ukraine and later becoming a central figure of Russian ballet at the Mariinsky and Bolshoi theatres, she has also held official roles within Russian cultural institutions and publicly supported Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. These positions have made her a controversial figure internationally since the outbreak of the war, leading to criticism and, in some cases, the cancellation of performances outside Russia.

A recurring dilemma for cultural institutions

The Florence decision reflects a wider dilemma faced by European cultural institutions since the start of the conflict: whether and how to present artists whose careers are closely intertwined with Russian state structures, even when the artistic value of their work is widely recognised.

Debate around the suspension has already emerged online, with opposing views on the relationship between art and politics. Some argue that artistic expression should remain independent of geopolitical considerations, while others contend that cultural events inevitably carry symbolic weight during wartime and cannot be treated as neutral.

For the Maggio Musicale, the choice has been framed as a precautionary one, aimed at avoiding a context that could compromise the event itself rather than as an explicit political stance.

Refunds for ticket holders

The theatre has activated refund procedures for all ticket holders. Subscribers and box-office purchasers can request reimbursement by 31 January 2026, either in person at the theatre or by email, while tickets bought online or by phone will be refunded automatically to the original payment card, in line with banking timelines.

For now, the ballet remains suspended, with the theatre signalling that the international situation — rather than artistic considerations — is the decisive factor behind the cancellation.

Updates: Diplomatic Clash Over Maggio Suspension

The decision by the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino to suspend the January 20–21, 2026 performances featuring Russian ballerina Svetlana Zakharova and violinist and conductor Vadim Repin has prompted sharp reactions.

The Russian Embassy in Italy described the move as “a further plunge into the murky waters of Russophobia”, claiming it followed a request from the Ukrainian Embassy and amounted to a limitation of Italy’s cultural sovereignty, while also suggesting pressure linked to European funding.

Tuscany’s regional president Eugenio Giani rejected this interpretation, calling the statements “groundless” and recalling “very dark approaches” reminiscent of the Soviet period, adding that Russia is currently acting as an oppressor against Ukraine and that this context cannot be ignored.

Florence mayor Sara Funaro, also in her role as president of the Maggio Musicale Foundation, defined the embassy’s remarks as “serious and wholly inappropriate”, defending the theatre’s decision to temporarily suspend the performances in light of ongoing international tensions.

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