Czech philharmonic musicians protest appointment of new director


Musicians from the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra have protested against the decision by the minister of culture to appoint a new director without a proper competition for filling the post. Members of the orchestra played on the steps of the Rudolfinum with the audience including bemused tourists. They afterwards explained their belief that Minister of Culture Václav Riedlbauch abused his powers in appointing former Czech Radio director, Václav Kasík, as orchestra director. The previous director, Vladimír Darjanin, was dismissed for alleged flaws in the orchestra’s accounting.