(FILES) In this file photo taken on September 22, 2016 Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) presents a medal to then Mariinsky Theatre's Artistic Director, Valery Gergiev, during an awarding ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow on September 22, 2016. - The Munich Philharmonic on March 1, 2022 said it was parting ways with star Russian conductor Valery Gergiev "with immediate effect" after he failed to respond to a request to denounce Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Ivan Sekretarev / POOL / AFP)