Yesterday, Erl was in the past
In the world of classical music, a series of controversies have erupted over the past few years, with one of the most notable figures at the centre of the storm being Gustav Kuhn. As Kuhn turned 80 years old, several festivals and organisations have come under fire for their handling of the sexual misconduct allegations against him.
Gustav Kuhn, a former conductor of the Tiroler Festspiele Erl, has been accused of misconduct by a total of eight male artists and five female musicians. Despite these allegations, the Tiroler Festspiele Erl celebrated Kuhn's birthday with an extravagant tribute, seemingly ignoring the harm he caused to his victims. The festival's website even featured a fawning birthday greeting for Kuhn, thanking him for his contributions and considering his leadership as "often a multifunctional commitment to music and music theater."
The Beethovenfest Bonn, another prestigious festival, also found itself embroiled in the controversy. Both the festival's organiser and its former director, Nike Wagner, who supported convicted criminal Siegfried Mauser, have been criticised for their actions. The festival's handling of the #MeToo debate has also been called into question, with victims of sexual violence not allowed to perform on stage but offered "honorary tickets" instead. The Bertelsmann Foundation, which co-organised a discussion, has also faced criticism for its role in the Beethovenfest Bonn's handling of the issue.
The Beethovenfest Bonn was led by General Music Director Dirk Kaftan during the time the allegations against Gustav Kuhn became known, and he later resigned from this position. Kuhn himself resigned from his post as head of the master classes at the Neue Stimmen competition in October 2018. However, no criticism or self-criticism was shown during the tribute to Kuhn, and no lessons learned were evident.
The Tiroler Festspiele Erl is currently led by Jonas Kaufmann, and no criticism or self-criticism is present in the greeting from the festival under his leadership. Interestingly, the festival's sponsor, Hans Peter Haselsteiner, sued journalist Markus Wilhelm for criticising poor working conditions at the festival. Wilhelm faced eighteen lawsuits as a result, many of which were eventually decided in his favour.
Shoko Kuroe, a prominent figure in the classical music world, has also criticised the Beethovenfest Bonn for its handling of the #MeToo debate. The organisation's lack of action and support for victims of sexual violence has been a source of concern for many in the industry.
As the classical music world grapples with these issues, it is clear that changes are needed to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all artists and audience members. The handling of these allegations against Gustav Kuhn serves as a stark reminder of the work that still needs to be done to address and prevent sexual misconduct in the industry.
