Conductor to perform in spite of rape charge

Published on Tuesday 20 July 2010 20:10

AN EDINBURGH Festival performance by a Grammy award-winning Russian conductor who is accused of raping a teenage boy is expected to "go ahead as programmed".

Mikhail Pletnev is the founder and artistic director of the Russian National Orchestra, and is due to conduct them in an Usher Hall concert on 19 August. The one-off Edinburgh appearance is part of a European and UK tour.

But on Monday Mr Pletnev was ordered by a court in the Thai resort of Pattaya to report there every 12 days as part of his bail conditions after he was arrested and charged with the alleged rape of a 14-year-old boy.

Mr Pletnev has insisted the charges are false. "I say again these allegations are not true," he told reporters outside the court. "I have always stated that I will assist the police in every way I can with their enquiries into the allegations that have been made against me."

An Edinburgh International Festival spokeswoman refused to be drawn on whether it was appropriate for the concert to go ahead.

"The Festival has no comment to make on accusations that have not been through a justice system. Presupposing the outcome of any trial would be wrong," she said.

"We expect the concert with the Russian National Orchestra to go ahead as programmed. If there are any changes to this concert we will notify the audience."

If Mr Pletnev was found guilty of rape in Thailand, where he owns property, he could face a 20-year jail term. He has been granted bail of about 6,000 but must report every 12 days to renew it.

Mr Pletnev is a virtuoso pianist, composer and conductor who won a Grammy award in 2005 for an arrangement of Prokofiev's Cinderella.