The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was plunged into turmoil last month after it cancelled the performance of a highly acclaimed pianist, who had made comments on stage about the war in Gaza.

Artists within the orchestra protested. The director resigned. And Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett has been enlisted to conduct a review of what happened.

Today, the journalist who broke the story - senior culture writer Kerrie O'Brien - takes us behind the news and delves into the age old question of whether art and politics should ever be separate.

Correction: In this episode, we referred to composer Richard Wagner as a "Nazi sympathiser". Though Wagner was infamously known as Hitler's favourite composer and expressed anti-Semitic views, he died in 1883, long before the formation of the Nazis. We apologise for the error.

Further reading, listening and credits:
'Legal stoush between MSO and sacked pianist escalates',The Age, Kerrie O'Brien.
Jayson Gillham speaks after MSO boss steps down, ABC Radio Melbourne, Rafael Epstein. 

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was plunged into turmoil last month after it cancelled the performance of a highly acclaimed pianist, who had made comments on stage about the war in Gaza.
Artists within the orchestra protested. The director resigned. And Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett has been enlisted to conduct a review of what happened.
Today, the journalist who broke the story - senior culture writer Kerrie O'Brien - takes us behind the news and delves into the age old question of whether art and politics should ever be separate.
Correction: In this episode, we referred to composer Richard Wagner as a "Nazi sympathiser". Though Wagner was infamously known as Hitler's favourite composer and expressed anti-Semitic views, he died in 1883, long before the formation of the Nazis. We apologise for the error.
Further reading, listening and credits:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.theage.com.au/culture/music/legal-stoush-between-mso-and-sacked-pianist-escalates-20240902-p5k71u.html">'Legal stoush between MSO and sacked pianist escalates',</a> The Age, Kerrie O'Brien.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/melbourne-mornings/jayson-gillham-pianist-mso-dispute/104274514">Jayson Gillham speaks after MSO boss steps down</a>, ABC Radio Melbourne, Rafael Epstein. </li>
</ul>

The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition (formerly Please Explain) brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

The Morning Edition brings you the story behind the story with the best journalists in Australia. Join host Samantha Selinger-Morris from the newsrooms of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, weekdays from 5am.

Bitter symphony: What happened when the Orchestra cancelled a pianist

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/88b564ea-a9a6-4751-910a-a5d800019396/clips/7e41b3d9-0ce3-4633-a292-b1de00b8510e/transcript

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