GHENT, Belgium – Flanders Festival Ghent cancelled a planned September 18 concert by the Munich Philharmonic after organisers said they could not obtain clarity about the views of the orchestra’s incoming chief conductor, Lahav Shani, who also serves as music director of the Israel Philharmonic.
The festival said Shani had spoken in favour of peace and reconciliation, but that “in the light of his role as the chief conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, we are unable to provide sufficient clarity about his attitude to the genocidal regime.” The organisers said the decision followed calls in the local cultural sector to refrain from collaborations with partners who had not “distanced themselves unequivocally from that regime.”
The cancellation provoked immediate backlash. German and Belgian officials criticised the move as discriminatory and short-sighted. Germany’s foreign ministry called rescinding the invitation “unacceptable,” saying Jews must not be exploited to criticise Israeli government policy, and senior German culture officials described the decision as tantamount to antisemitism.
The Munich Philharmonic said it was “profoundly shocked” and “appalled” by the festival’s decision. The orchestra and German cultural figures argued that boycotting artists for their nationality or institutional ties undermines artistic freedom and sets a dangerous precedent.
Berlin’s Konzerthaus stepped in at short notice to host Lahav Shani and the Munich Philharmonic, ensuring the programme will go ahead outside Belgium. The intervention was billed by its organisers as a defence of cultural exchange and opposition to the exclusion of artists based on nationality or institutional affiliation.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever publicly criticised the festival’s choice and travelled to Germany to attend a performance in support of Shani, officials and media reported. The trip underscored the political sensitivity of the decision and the pressure on cultural institutions to balance public sentiment with principles of inclusion.
Observers noted that Shani has, in other public statements, voiced support for peace and criticised some policies of the Israeli government. He was due to take up his role in Munich next year and is widely regarded as a leading young conductor on the international stage. The festival’s invocation of his position with the Israel Philharmonic rather than his public remarks drew particular scrutiny.
Jewish and pro-Israel groups privately and publicly warned that decisions singling out artists because of links to Israel risk normalising discrimination and conflating Israeli government policy with individual artists and Jewish identity. Critics called for clearer guidelines from cultural institutions to ensure that disputes over public policy do not develop into cultural exclusion.
The episode has renewed debate in Europe over the line between legitimate protest and cultural boycotts that target individuals for their nationality or institutional ties. It has also mobilised officials and venues to find alternative ways to present performances while avoiding what some have described as an ad hoc policy of exclusion.
This article is based on verified information from Reuters, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Times of Israel, and The Jerusalem Post.