Ukrainians in Holland secure cancellation of pro-Kremlin pianist’s concert

A concert by Soviet and Austrian-born pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja was canceled in The Netherlands thanks to the efforts of the Ukrainian community and diplomats. 

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Leonskaja has repeatedly visited Russia and performed with musicians who openly support the Kremlin’s policies.

The performance had been scheduled for Dec. 4 at the Muziekgebouw concert hall in Eindhoven. 

The Ukrainian side appealed to the venue’s management, arguing that Leonskaja continues to maintain cultural ties with Russia even during the ongoing war of aggression.

Notably, in late November 2025, she performed in Moscow under the direction of Yuri Bashmet, a conductor who publicly supports Russia’s unjustifiable war against Ukraine.

Muziekgebouw stated that it follows the guidelines of the Association of Theatre and Concert Hall Directors in The Netherlands, which allow Russian and Belarusian artists to perform only if they have not supported the invasion and have publicly distanced themselves from the regimes of Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin and Belarusian dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko. 

In Leonskaja’s case, these criteria were not met.

Ukrainian diplomats have also contacted concert halls in Groningen and Amsterdam, where the pianist has scheduled performances in 2026.

“Culture must not be used as a tool to promote war or whitewash the crimes of an aggressor state,” the Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Ministry said.