In the past we’ve blogged about the composer Arvo Pärt dedicating a symphony to Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and given the second show trial, he has spoken out again in his defense.  Below is a follow up from Helsingin Sanomat:

“He is a genius, amazing, a great talent, who has a warm heart and a pure vision.”

This is how Estonian composer Arvo Pärt describes jailed Russian businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky, to whom he has dedicated his fourth symphony (Los Angeles).The European première was in Helsinki on Thursday, April 16th, just a few months after the world’s first performance, which was conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen in Los Angeles.

“All of the bad things that you have read about Khodorkovsky is propaganda put out by the Russian state”, Pärt declares.