Pianist Igor Levit: “Artists have no obligation to express themselves” – debate

The pianist Igor Levit sees the demand on Russian artists to distance themselves from President Putin because of the Ukraine war as a “double-edged sword”. There is “a civic obligation to take a stand,” he said. “But it’s also a bloody luxury to be able to do that without risking either going to jail yourself or putting your family in danger. Artists have no obligation to speak up.”