Have you ever wondered what's REALLY behind artists' cancellations of concerts? Not "sudden illness", not "personal reasons", the truth? Sometimes it is not pretty.
As today marks my second cancelled concert for Palermo Classica Festival, playing Grieg and Rachmaninoff concerti in Taormina, I think I owe just such a moment of truth to you, my friends and fans.
I refused to play for this festival until my conditions were met. Wait - you say – what a greedy piano celebrity- betraying her audience because of pay! NOT SO FAST, please
I didn’t put conditions for myself , but for dozens of musicians , young and old, famous and not yet so - who were all cheated of their pay….
If you have time and attention to spare , read and judge for yourself. Below is just SOME of emails that started it all….
Il giorno 20/lug/2013, alle ore 16:21,
Dear XXXX,
I have one question to ask – have you paid your artists from last year festival? Please tell me the truth.
Thank you.
Valentina
________________________________________
Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2013 22:37:58 +0200
Subject: Re: Palermo Classica
Dear Valentina, some soloists with small amounts we have paid, some are not.with the Sicilian region we are having so many problems. they still have not paid anyone for the activities of 2012.
However, with resources coming from 2013 we are trying to pay all
. we all have the same problem. Friends of Music - Teatro Bellini of Catania - Palermo politeama theater - theater blond Palermo and many others .. we do not receive contributions.
in any case, we will pay all and I hope this happens cave the next two / three months. you can safely reassure some of your fellow friend .. please do it for me ..
we are suffering a lot ... maybe not as images. I hope that we can overcome all this time
but we'll make it thank you for your friendship and your affection
Un caro saluto
XXXX
Inviato da iPhone
Dear XXXXX.
You can't say that I didn't try to help you - above and beyond my call of duty, giving you one free concert after another, one after another....You told me that the news of funding cut last August was like a thunder from a clear sky, unexpected. Fine, I accepted what you said.
I was shocked to find out that you didn't tell the truth to the artists - both young and old who played after me.
You made them come and play, knowing too well that you have no intent of ever paying them. You did it to both young artists and to venerated patriarchs of classical music. Some of these artists agreed to come because of my personal reassurance and advice. In their eyes I am at fault. They see my name advertised in a new festival, they see some "big names" invited - who do not come for free. Their natural question is - did I deceive them by my advice.
I feel personally responsible for my words. I am embarrassed that it was because of my word that they suffered damages.
I feel like a traitor by having my name gracing your posters while those people got nothing for their playing. I can't allow it to happen.
This year I was to come at no cost to you, thanks to XXXXX generosity. You sold tickets to my concerts- both for New Year and for upcoming August, you got the money for those tickets. I am not going to come unless ALL the artists who were denied payment from last year get paid.
Not some time in a future, not in three months .
Now. They have to be paid now. Those are not millions of euros in payments, their fees are pitifully small. But even those small money mean a whole lot for a young artist from remote country.... If you don't have funds you shouldn't be running the festival. Sorry for being so blunt. If you cannot honor your commitments to your artists I will address my fans publicly and apologize for not coming . They will understand.
Sincerely,
Valentina
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
> Dear XXXXX,
>
> You are not going to impress me with big numbers. I know one thing - so far I cost you next to nothing. Between last July and today I have given you plenty of my labor and effort with promises and more promises in exchange, my fees being a fraction of what XXX charges, and more free concerts than I ever done for anybody else. Yet, the concerts that I played - they were packed with people, who didn't come for free , they paid for tickets. Same with upcoming concerts. You sold tickets to each one. It is not a small pocket change that you gained by my concerts. Even with your claims that you lost funding there was enough to pay for certain "big name" artists that I am not going to mention here...You didn't care to make even a small partial payments to others , whom you called in your letter to me "simple artists". I was very offended at that statement back then - as I just barely rose myself to some kind of fame not even a few short years ago - and I remember too well the treatment accorded to artists who are deemed a mere commodity, disposable and replaceable, having no voice to complain.
> Everything eventually comes to the end - my patience expired. Believe me, I am not the only trouble you have in hands. I was told by the group of artists whom you didn't bother to pay that they are about to go with open letters to Italian and international press, to protest through their respective ambassadors - and by suing your company for damages.
> In the current situation I can't allow my name used in conjunction with your festival.
> I will not play until the artists who suffered damages are fully satisfied in their claims.
> Barred this condition, I formally request that you remove my name and
> to announce the cancellation my concerts at the festival .
With regrets,
Valentina
