Sadly enough, my observations throughout the past few years on Slovak culture have been a bit grim, to put it mildly. Minister Maďarič, who is bestowed with the honour of keeping a watchful eye on Slovakia's cultural institutions and developments, has - contrary of what one would expect from him - shown little interest in this field.
Perhaps life has become too fast for the Culture Ministry to notice all the developments. Not only was it visible, that the demolition tactics within the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra has devastated the foundation of the oldest professional orchestra in Slovakia, money wasting in the Slovak Philharmonic by its Manager Mr Lapšanský was equally alarming, which on top was marked by again a walk-out of another Chief Conductor, Maestro Feranec. Not the first one, to leave because of internal conflicts, hardly the last. Equally with the National Museum, who is run by incompetence and letting its foreign partners in deep despait, as their project of manuscript conservation is in jeopardy.
The State Opera has had the most dubious set of Managers' switches, with a mysterious misty shroud of quiet spokespersons, no press releases or contradictory statements. If you have every few months a new director, especially since your club is running on public tax payers' money, you have to explain a lot. Not so in Slovakia. In the best scenario, the Ministry is closing an eye and hoping that public either will not notice, or quickly forget.
But never mind the small change - who in Europe has ever heard of a Slovak National Museum, a Slovak Philharmonic (unless you are a NAXOS collector) or the like. Better, when Slovakia has proudly boasted of making its Eastern Slovak city of Košice into a European Capital of Culture! Prestige all over from Alaska to Tahiti. So one would expect, at least.
Nevertheless, as it appeared in the newspapers today; the prestigious project, backed by patronage the Ministry of Culture and Brussels to turn this little gem into a capital in 2013, and to make in a dazzlig cultural town full with events, it appears that the Ministry has somewhat failed to fulfill its financial obligations. One would ask why. Not that the State has gone suddenly bankcrupt. The reasons are vague, to say the least. It's just ... political.
This is definitively not the first time, where cultural projects are bleeding because of the incompetence, to move forward, or to at least stick to the set deadlines to deliver reports, decisions or what you have. A bureaucratic moloch, which shows hardly any interest in supporting culture at all.
Knowing, that the Manager, Ms Zora Jaurová, who as usual thoroughly prepared all documentation is far from happy. The whole project is at peril, perhaps to fatally end in a disaster. I know the feeling. Unfortunately, Mr Maďarič doesn't. Another case, where Slovakia has lost international prestige and added another embarrassment to its list. I am afraid, it's far from the last scandalous result of the present government. The frustrations of all those, who put their heart, soul and endless energy, ending up with empty hands cannot be described. In Slovakia, officially culture seems not to matter any more. One can only pray for a miracle, but almost too much harm has been done.
MS
Perhaps life has become too fast for the Culture Ministry to notice all the developments. Not only was it visible, that the demolition tactics within the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra has devastated the foundation of the oldest professional orchestra in Slovakia, money wasting in the Slovak Philharmonic by its Manager Mr Lapšanský was equally alarming, which on top was marked by again a walk-out of another Chief Conductor, Maestro Feranec. Not the first one, to leave because of internal conflicts, hardly the last. Equally with the National Museum, who is run by incompetence and letting its foreign partners in deep despait, as their project of manuscript conservation is in jeopardy.
The State Opera has had the most dubious set of Managers' switches, with a mysterious misty shroud of quiet spokespersons, no press releases or contradictory statements. If you have every few months a new director, especially since your club is running on public tax payers' money, you have to explain a lot. Not so in Slovakia. In the best scenario, the Ministry is closing an eye and hoping that public either will not notice, or quickly forget.
But never mind the small change - who in Europe has ever heard of a Slovak National Museum, a Slovak Philharmonic (unless you are a NAXOS collector) or the like. Better, when Slovakia has proudly boasted of making its Eastern Slovak city of Košice into a European Capital of Culture! Prestige all over from Alaska to Tahiti. So one would expect, at least.
Nevertheless, as it appeared in the newspapers today; the prestigious project, backed by patronage the Ministry of Culture and Brussels to turn this little gem into a capital in 2013, and to make in a dazzlig cultural town full with events, it appears that the Ministry has somewhat failed to fulfill its financial obligations. One would ask why. Not that the State has gone suddenly bankcrupt. The reasons are vague, to say the least. It's just ... political.
This is definitively not the first time, where cultural projects are bleeding because of the incompetence, to move forward, or to at least stick to the set deadlines to deliver reports, decisions or what you have. A bureaucratic moloch, which shows hardly any interest in supporting culture at all.
Knowing, that the Manager, Ms Zora Jaurová, who as usual thoroughly prepared all documentation is far from happy. The whole project is at peril, perhaps to fatally end in a disaster. I know the feeling. Unfortunately, Mr Maďarič doesn't. Another case, where Slovakia has lost international prestige and added another embarrassment to its list. I am afraid, it's far from the last scandalous result of the present government. The frustrations of all those, who put their heart, soul and endless energy, ending up with empty hands cannot be described. In Slovakia, officially culture seems not to matter any more. One can only pray for a miracle, but almost too much harm has been done.
MS
No comments:
Post a Comment