Valentina Lisitsa toronto

International reaction to TSO's decision to turf pianist

The controversy over the TSO cancelling the Toronto performance of Ukrainian pianist Valentina Lisitsa - classical music's Justin Bieber, according to the BBC - over social media posts of hers deemed anti-Kyiv, is no longer local.

Newspapers and media outlets worldwide have picked up the story about turfed musician, who will be paid, but not allowed to perform. The New York Times has collected many of the perceived offensive tweets Lisitsa has sent over the last year or so from her account.

While not many other big players have commented thus far, international coverage is as far reaching slavyangrad.org, WQXR (New York), In the Now (Moscow), deutsche-wirtschafts-nachrichten.de (Germany), and Sputnik, and Spanish site codalario.com. Canadian publications on the story include Macleans, The Globe, the CBC and the Huffington Post.

The Toronto Star is now reporting that Lisitsa's replacement, Stewart Goodyear, has backed out due to "mob-like behavior of [Lisitsa's] devotees." Bieber-mania indeed.

Read Lisitsa's own take on Facebook here.

Image via Facebook


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in Music

Third incident brings police to Drake's Toronto mansion yet again

Police respond to second incident at Drake's Toronto mansion in two days

Ticketmaster crashes for Canadians during Live Nation $25 concert sale

Drake's security guard shot in front of Toronto mansion amid escalating rap beef

Toronto police investigating shooting near Drake's mansion

Here are all the Toronto mentions and strays so far in the Drake-Kendrick Lamar feud

Toronto newspaper blasted for using very wrong photo in Kendrick Lamar story

Toronto Chinese restaurant showered with 5-star reviews after Kendrick Lamar mention