# A prominent German orchestra’s performance at a Belgian festival has been cancelled over concerns about its Israeli conductor, sparking a furious reaction from Berlin. Belgium’s Foreign minister, Maxime Prévot, distanced himself from the decision by Flanders Festival Ghent, where the Munich Philharmonic was to perform on 18 September, led by its future chief conductor. Israel’s Lahav Shani, who officially takes over as conductor of the Munich orchestra for the 2026/27 season, is currently music director of the Israeli Philharmonic.
Belgian festival cancels performance of German orchestra due to Israeli conductor