Not at all costs:
Debate with Peter Thiel cancelled

Following careful reflection on differing positions, the widely debated and polarising invitation of the American tech entrepreneur Peter Thiel to a public debate of the Vienna Festival has been cancelled, as Artistic Director Milo Rau and Executive Director Artemis Vakianis decided today.

The Vienna Festival is facing a growing number of critical voices and an increasing number of politically or ethically motivated withdrawals by participants in the artistic programme.

'Not at any cost: I take the critical voices very seriously. Out of my responsibility for the overall programme, I unfortunately had to decide against the planned event with Peter Thiel, although I found it extremely compelling and thematically consistent within the framework of the REPUBLIC OF GODS. However, insisting on the event would run counter to my appreciation of our artistic programme and everyone involved in it,' said Artistic Director Milo Rau.