“Following the lead of many orchestras across the globe, the San Diego Symphony announced today that it is pulling Tchaikovsky’s ‘1812’ Overture, … because of the war in Ukraine,” writes Michael James Rocha in Thursday’s (7/7) San Diego Union-Tribune. “The ‘1812’ Overture has been a part of the orchestra’s summer repertoire, without fail, since 1998. ‘Due to current world events, the San Diego Symphony has made the decision to change its 1812 Tchaikovsky Spectacular concert repertoire. Now titled Tchaikovsky’s Symphonic Tales, the program will no longer include Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture,’ the symphony said in a statement, referring to the ensemble’s Aug. 26 concert at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. ‘While this program has been a regular of San Diego Symphony summer seasons past, with the ongoing Russian war that threatens the people of Ukraine, who—as we speak—are fighting for their very lives, we feel that it is important to amend this program…. The San Diego Symphony highly respects the work of Russian composers and intends to carry that legacy on…. But, we strongly feel that this summer is not the time in which we should perform the 1812 Overture.’ A newly announced program still features Tchaikovsky works.”
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