Re: “Controversial pianist turfed in Toronto kept by Calgary,” April 9.
Because Valentina Lisitsa expressed her opinions on the Internet about events in Ukraine, the country of her birth, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra decided to cancel her performance. I wonder if the Toronto symphony, and its politically minded supporters would have defended her right to express her views if she had published cartoons of Muhammad in her Twitter account.
By the way, the Toronto Symphony has a history of succumbing to political pressure. At the height of U.S. senator Joseph McCarthy’s reign, six members of the TSO were fired when the the orchestra was about to be prohibited entry to the U.S. because it had members tainted with “undesirable” political opinions.
I look forward to that occasion in the future when Lisitsa is invited to perform with the Victoria Symphony.
Mel Johnston
Victoria
