Official Position on the Situation with Rachmaninoff's Villa Senar

With undisguised surprise I read the post in the popular blog http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2013/10/breaking-russian-government-has-bought-rachmaninov-estate.html, in which the author cited my colleague Mr.Gavrilov, where he talked about his personal opinion and attitude to the situation with SENAR (S.V. Rachmaninoff’s residence in Switzerland). As the artistic director, the person who protects interests of The Rachmaninoff Foundation and the head of Public Council at the Ministry of Culture of Russian Federation I am the one who’s initiated and coordinates all the process. I believe it is crucially important to clear up the situation for the correct vision to be formed.

It is widely known, that I brought up the question about SENAR’s future at the meeting of Council of Culture with the participation of President Putin on 2nd of October in Kremlin. The President listened to me very attentively and said that he got all needed information. Soon he gave the commission to the Ministry of Culture to monitor the situation and find a solution. At the moment Minster of Culture V. Medinsky and I are working over all legitimate variants of solving the problem and trying to find the best one that will satisfy everybody. It is a common knowledge that the decision of state level is not made in haste. It has to go through all needed legal procedures and be approved by experts as well. Especially when we talk about crucially important for Russian Culture heritage. We talk about a long prestarting procedures, thoroughly elaborated plan and a working-out of the final decision, that will be legitimate and best for all.

I believe firmly, that this is the only position we must adhere to and we will proceed this way in future.

You can find all needed information in my comments and interviews to the press, Russian and foreign. And I promise to keep you well informed in future on this problem.

Denis Matsuev