Konzerthaus President Matthias Naske leaves the MusicAeterna Foundation

Blogger Axel Brugmann recently raised the scandal of the fact that Matthias Naske, director of the Vienna Konzerthaus, is an honorary member of the board of directors of the “MusicAeterna Foundation” founded in Liechtenstein. It is a non-profit, non-profit organization that aims to facilitate concerts by conductor Theodor Krentzis and his groups (orchestra and choir).

In the times of the Russian boycott, it was difficult to have the headquarters of the bands “MusicAeterna” in St. Petersburg – and Co-financed by Russia’s partially state-owned VTB Bank. It was soon suspected that the foundation had received money from Russian oligarchs.

Matthias Naske responded to only one request from Currentzis; Now he asked himself – in consultation with Courier – whether he had accepted the mandate with excessive naivety. So inquire in Liechtenstein. But the foundation’s lawyer managed to reassure him: “The Foundation has never received any funds from Russian state institutions or companies associated with the Russian state. It funded its activities with concert profits and donations from private sponsors. When asked again, she specified: “The main income of the institution comes from concerts in Europe. There is no Russian oligarch among our private patrons.“

However, the allegations should have prompted Matthias Naske to rethink. “I am retiring from the board of trustees,” he told the newspaper. He says: It does not matter if he is sitting on this body or not. Because it has nothing to do with management.