Polish Politics at the Piano
Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman's debut at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles took a political turn on Sunday night when he took a moment before his final number to announce that he wouldn't play in the U.S. again as long as America pursues an imperialist agenda on the world stage.
Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman’s debut at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles took a political turn on Sunday night when he took a moment before his final number to announce that he wouldn’t play in the U.S. again as long as America pursues an imperialist agenda on the world stage.
Wait, before you go…Los Angeles Times:
Before playing the final work on his recital, Karol Szymanowski’s “Variations on a Polish Folk Theme,” Zimerman sat silently at the piano for a moment, almost began to play, but then turned to the audience. In a quiet but angry voice that did not project well, he indicated that he could no longer play in a country whose military wants to control the whole world.
“Get your hands off of my country,” he said. He also made reference to the U.S. military detention camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
If you're reading this, you probably already know that non-profit, independent journalism is under threat worldwide. Independent news sites are overshadowed by larger heavily funded mainstream media that inundate us with hype and noise that barely scratch the surface. We believe that our readers deserve to know the full story. Truthdig writers bravely dig beneath the headlines to give you thought-provoking, investigative reporting and analysis that tells you what’s really happening and who’s rolling up their sleeves to do something about it.
Like you, we believe a well-informed public that doesn’t have blind faith in the status quo can help change the world. Your contribution of as little as $5 monthly or $35 annually will make you a groundbreaking member and lays the foundation of our work.
Support Truthdig
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.