Swiss town funds Russian festival tied to Putin ally Vadim Repin
The municipality of Saanen, Switzerland, contributes annually to the Repin Winter Festival in Novosibirsk, Russia, with Vadim Repin, a prominent violinist and Putin ally, set to perform at the Les Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad festival in January 2026.
The municipality of Saanen provides 170,000 Swiss francs each year to the festival in Novosibirsk, backed by the state and supported by Putin. Vadim Repin, a virtuoso violinist and key figure in Putin’s musical circle, will also mentor young violinists during the Gstaad festival. However, local council president Petra Schläppi, a SVP politician, clarified that the municipality has no role in artist selection and does not comment on their political backgrounds. The festival's leadership, director Ombretta Ravessoud and violinist Renaud Capuçon, welcome Repin as a colleague and friend. Meanwhile, protesters with Ukrainian flags gather nightly outside Zurich’s opera house, silently demonstrating against Anna Netrebko’s performances due to her past ties with Putin's musical sphere.
Vadim Repin's upcoming performance at the Les Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad festival in 2026 raises questions about the municipality of Saannen's involvement in the festival's organisation and artist selection, given the political context surrounding Repin and other artists associated with Putin.
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