The case of Beatrice Venezi, conductor criticized by certain musicians of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra during her concerts at the Politeama, is not closed. Yesterday, Commissioner Andrea Peria suspended the three musicians guilty of creating dissidence against Venezi, highly esteemed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and by Minister Sangiuliano (for whom she was a consultant). The employees announce an appeal. Seven days without pay for two of the dissidents (Luciano Saladino, violinist, and Claudio Sardisco, flautist, from March 17 to 24), while a colleague (Ivana Sparacio, violinist) will be suspended for a single day.
Their fault, according to the superintendent, is that of having violated the contractual obligations of accuracy and diligence. In short, if there is something to complain about, it is in the inner street, not in the newspapers. For the moment the unions have not expressed their opinion, he reconstructs Republic of Palermo, but the question becomes political. “It is a scandalous provision – attack the 5 stars Luca Pirondini and Dolores Bevilacqua – which cannot be accepted and which demonstrates the ignoble conception of culture expressed by this government. A government that has gone well beyond friendships, deliberately hitting those who dare to challenge the boss's friends. »
The (unheard) requests of the commissioner
Immediately after the statements made by the musicians in the newspapers, the superintendent of Foss had requested, as reported by the Palermo edition of Repubblica, an immediate confrontation with the rebel musicians. Furthermore, he demanded that “the first parties” or the leaders of each musical sector of the Symphony distance themselves from the statements of their colleagues. Four of them refused because their colleagues had declared aspects that “corresponded perfectly to reality”. Today, the punished musicians are returning to work after a week off. We must try “the seven last words of our Redeemer on the cross,” explains Repubblica. But the path of the cross on this matter seems to continue.
The lawyer's opinion: “A provision which infringes on freedom of thought”
According to lawyer Francesco Leone, of the law firm “Leone, Fell & C”, specialized in administrative and labor law, the decision is “a very serious act”. “A provision that violates freedom of thought and criticism, a disproportionate sanction that does not respect the union rights of workers,” he explains to Repubblica. Among other things, a decision that can be attacked on several fronts. “It is one thing – the lawyer specifies – to express judgments which damage the reputation of the person or which slander or defame them in one way or another. Another is to express a purely technical opinion on how to conduct an orchestra. A technical criticism emerges from the statements reported by the press. And this happens in a context in which the director has also been criticized by the press, who consulted the public and also received negative opinions.”
Read also:
