French culture minister bans ensemble over sex-pic conductor

The board of FEVIS, the Fédération des Ensembles Vocaux et Instrumentaux Spécialisés, has expelled the renowned French ensemble Les Siècles after its founder-conductor Francois-Xavier Roth was found to have sent inappropriate images to female musicians.

Roth has suspended himself from conducting, pending an inquiry.

Fevis just went one further. The board, which is chaired by the former French culture minister Roselyne Bachelot, voted unanimously to remove Les Siècles from membership as ‘part of an exemplary approach and the uncompromising concern for the protection of musicians against sexist and sexual violence and harassment’.

In case you think this might be unfair on the musicians, Fevis hastened to avow ‘its support for the musicians as well as the administrative and technical teams of Les Siècles. It will remain particularly attentive to finding ways to overcome this crisis to enable the safeguarding of their activity and the pursuit of a unique project in the national and international musical landscape.’

Bachelot, 77, was Emanuel Macron’s minister of culture from 2020 to 2022.

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