Berlin’s revered State Opera has stepped into a tumultuous fray, following their decision to allow the Russian-Austrian soprano Anna Netrebko to perform onstage. This decision has struck a nerve with individuals who argue that Netrebko falls short in firmly distancing herself from Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Scheduled to take center stage as Lady Macbeth in Giuseppe Verdi’s Macbeth, Netrebko’s performances are pivotal, given they follow the Opera House’s temporary disengagement from the singer due to worry over her perceived links to the Kremlin. An in-depth discourse from the institution’s general director, Matthias Schulz, maintained that Netrebko had deemed the act of aggression by Russia as unprovoked and sufficiently distanced herself from Putin’s rule.
Enraged protestors, numbering up to 37,000 signees to a petition aimed at terminating all four performances, grasped the situation. Among them are Ukrainian refugees residing in Berlin, who plan to spearhead a demonstration at the opera house, where the tickets for the show are completely sold out. The dissenting crowd has already marked their displeasure at previous venues where Netrebko has performed, such as Wiesbaden and Baden-Baden.
Netrebko, however, has not minced words about her disapproval for the protestors. In an Instagram post, she castigated them as “shouting mermaids with fake bouquets”, harking back to traditional Ukrainian hair accessories.
Approximately 100 influential persons from the domains of culture, academia, and politics co-signed a letter drafted to the Staatsoper, urging the cancellation of the performances. Berlin’s mayor, culture minister, and other high-ranking officials publicly declined their invitations to the forthcoming performance.
Opera Houses and Anna Netrebko
The soprano has been ousted from various opera houses, such as New York’s Metropolitan Opera, Státní Opera in Prague, and Tallinn’s Alexela Concert Hall. In defense, Schulz opined, “It’s crucial to discern between the pre-war and post-war periods”. He reiterated that Netrebko clarified her stance via her actions and a statement distancing herself from actions, and this should be duly recognized.
In her take, Netrebko firmly “condemned the war” and rejected labels portraying her as a Putin supporter. She asserted that her encounters with Putin were infrequent, and her finances do not rely on the Russian government, as her taxes are paid in Austria.
She added, “I harbor no affiliations with any political party or any Russian leader. I recognize and am remorseful that my past actions or statements could have been misconstrued.”
Voicing criticism, Munich-based Eastern Europe historian and signatory Dr. Franziska Davies called out the Staatsoper’s attempt to justify their decision as “morally and intellectually lacking”. She argued that Netrebko has never overtly withdrawn her support for Putin’s regime; she only mentioned ‘misinterpretations’ of her actions.
The critics point towards her interactions with Putin, including cultural decorations bestowed upon her by him and her presence at a 2014 gathering in St. Petersburg beside a representative from the Russian-occupied Donbas region of Ukraine, holding a Novorossiya flag.
In the wake of the New York Met’s ban, Netrebko seeks legal retribution, accusing them of causing her significant mental distress and damaging her reputation. Observers have noted the eerie parallels between the current events and Verdi’s opera, with pundits highlighting the Macbeths’ ruthlessly driven power ambitions and their subsequent downfall. Some see a sliver of hope in the narrative’s conclusion, where their power lust precipitates their demise.
