Concertgebouw cancels performance by Israeli string quartet for safety reasons

The Concertgebouw has canceled two concerts that were supposed to be performed by the Israeli quartet Jerusalem Quartet. A company spokesperson says they did this to ensure the safety of employees, visitors and musicians.

The string quartet will give an approximately two-hour performance on Thursday and Saturday in the small hall of the Concertgebouw. The concerts were canceled “due to the announced demonstrations and recent developments surrounding the protests in Amsterdam.” A Concertgebouw spokesman told AT5 that demonstrations had been announced in front of the building around the performances.

There have been several protests about the band’s previous performances, because the group is, among other things, a cultural ambassador for Israel. For example, at the beginning of this year, a quartet concert in Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ was disrupted by a group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators. The parade in The Hague was also disrupted at the end of February.

Visitors who have already purchased a ticket will be informed of the cancellation via email.

The Central Jewish Consultation reacts with “total disbelief” to the cancellation of concerts. “Your actions have given a new meaning to the word ‘cancel culture’. You surrender. You allow rappel to take over here,” the CJO chief wrote in a letter to the Concertgebouw director.

CJO urges Concertgebouw to allow quartet performance to continue. “Yes, the Jerusalem Quartet consists of four musicians from Israel. This in no way justifies opposition to their concert. Your choice of this quartet was for musical reasons. Stick to that and don’t let anything stop you from doing it. Do what your goal is.”