Pablo Luna
The Metropolitan Opera in New York has sacked Russian soprano Anna Netrebko for refusing to denounce Russian President Vladimir Putin over his invasion of Ukraine. The management of Met said Netrebko is out for this season or the next and may never even return to the opera house again except her disposition or Putin’s invasion of Ukraine ends.
“It is a great artistic loss for the Met and for opera,” said Peter Gelb, the Metropolitan Opera’s general manager. “Anna is one of the greatest singers in Met history, but with Putin killing innocent victims in Ukraine, there was no way forward. It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which she will return to the Met.”
Although Netrebko had recently condemned the invasion of Ukraine, she has never condemned Putin for masterminding the invasion. In fact, she made it clear on Instagram that it is wrong for someone to be mandated to denounce their home government over foreign policies. She had endorsed Putin’s re-election in past years and even seen holding the flag of a Russian-separatist group in Ukraine.
With her removal from the Met, Netrebko canceled her show at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, and the Zurich Opera, as well as the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany.
Over the past 20 years, Netrebko had sung more than 200 songs at the Metropolitan Opera. She is one of the biggest performers at the opera, and her suspension reflects the experiences of Russian music conductor Valery Gergiev who was also removed from the Munich Philharmonic and several other music theaters over his refusal to denounce Putin’s attack on Ukraine. Netrebko posted a photo of herself and Gergiev on Instagram on Tuesday.
The Met said it will continue to work with Russian artists and play Russian music, but would not hire Russians who support Putin or his war in Ukraine. The company also said it will not be “interviewing or interrogating any artistes about their positions” on the Russian-Ukrainian war. However, the Met said it may revoke its collaboration with the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow and shelving the Wagner’s “Lohengrin” production billed for the coming season.
“My hope is that at some point the relationship between the Met and the Bolshoi can resume,” Gelb said. “But I don’t see any present or immediate resolution. As long as Putin is calling the shots, it’s not going to happen.”
