Anna Netrebko: I’m a star, I won’t give up

2023-08-07 11:47:25

Opinion Anna Netrebko

I’m a star, I won’t give up

Status: 11:47 a.m. | Reading time: 3 minutes

Anna Netrebko as Aida 2018 at the Met

Quelle: pa/obs Clasart Classic/Marty Sohl

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Anna Netrebko is undesirable in many places because of her closeness to Russia’s powerful and her rather lame distancing from Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine. Also in New York’s Metropolitan Opera. Now Netrebko has sued the opera.

“Always shit with Anni”, the blessed Monaco Franze, whose 40th broadcasting anniversary is being celebrated by Bayerischer Rundfunk with all TV pomp, would certainly have sighed heavily. She – that is, Anna Netrebko – just can’t help it.

The Russian star soprano with an Austrian passport, who has been dismissed in many places as persona non grata since the beginning of the Ukraine war because of her previously well-documented proximity to Russia’s powerful, which was previously exhibited for PR purposes, already has compensation of more than 200,000 US dollars in the USA -dollars (about 180,000 euros) were awarded.

Now she has sued the New York Metropolitan Opera for at least $360,000 in damages. They should, which is absolutely justified, compensate for the contractually agreed ideas (a top fee of $17,000) that the Met unilaterally terminated because they no longer wanted to have them there. The strong American stage union had also campaigned for Netrebko.

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But that’s not enough for Anna Netrebko and her management. Of course she is aware that after more than twenty years of vocal brilliance and full houses at almost 200 performances in New York and in the rest of the USA, the curtain has finally come down. She’ll soon be 52, let’s give her another five decent career years – by then the old conditions in America will certainly not be restored for her.

She sold her New York apartment (allegedly at a loss, she says) and bought an even larger apartment on the Ringstrasse in Vienna. Her rather lame statements, clearly dictated by lawyers, shortly after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, plus a edited justification interview, are not believed by many.

Although she has not performed in Russia since then, her EU second passport allows her to travel freely and earn money without hindrance. In addition, Russian propaganda continues to celebrate “our gold Anna” as an innocent art victim of the evil west.

At the beginning of October she sings in Berlin

Some opera houses and concert directors no longer let them on stage, others don’t care. She continues to sing in Verona, Paris, Milan and Vienna, but various theaters are closed to her. Especially in the German-speaking area, their most important playing area, there are now regular protests, for example in Wiesbaden, Frankfurt, Regensburg or Vienna at opera and concert performances.

At the beginning of October she is to interpret “Aida” at the Berlin State Opera in a new production. Protest actions have already been announced for this as well. Posters with dead Ukrainian babies and blood-smeared photos of Netrebko are usually held up.

But instead of cowering and waiting, seemingly unimpressed, she celebrates her never-ending shopping frenzy through the world’s luxury boutiques on Instagram for her 722,000 fans, garnished with sumptuous binges and partying till you drop. Empathy with the Ukrainians would certainly look different.

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So now there is a lawsuit “for defamation, breach of contract and other points in connection with the decision of the opera house to end cooperation with her after the Russian invasion of Ukraine”. The Met also caused her “severe mental anguish and emotional distress,” including “depression, humiliation and stress.” How to follow on Instagram.

The opera house and its artistic director Peter Gelb had also “damaged Netrebko’s relationship with the audience, among other things by encouraging protests against their performances”. The Metropolitan Opera initially dismissed all allegations coolly: “Ms. Netrebko’s complaint is unfounded.” And Peter Gelb, who may have cursed now: “Always all about Anna!”