Anna Netrebko: The city and the country openly argue about the singer

culture Dispute escalates

Again and again trouble with Anna Netrobko

As of 5:28 p.m | Reading time: 2 minutes

Apple of discord in classical music: Anna Netrebko

Source: dpa

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In Austria, the soprano Anna Netrebko, who is controversial because of her closeness to Putin, can sing again largely unobjected. In Wiesbaden, the director wanted to fill them again. That didn’t go down so well in town and country.

In Austria, the local citizen Anna Netrebko, who of course still has her Russian passport, is now allowed to sing again undisturbed. She is currently appearing as Verdi’s Aida at the Vienna State Opera, largely unopposed. In Germany, however, things are still complicated for the former Putin admirer, who only half-heartedly distanced herself from him after his war of aggression in Ukraine due to public pressure.

At the Bavarian and Berlin State Operas, previously their parent companies, performances were reassigned with her. A concert tour with her husband Yusif Eyvazov, which was only postponed because of the controversy surrounding her, took place. The directors of the houses used the excuse that the concerts were rented out to third parties and that existing contracts could not be broken.

Wiesbaden artistic director Uwe Eric Laufenberg has announced a new contract with Netrebko: Netrebko now wants to make up for her role debut as Abigaile in Verdi’s “Nabucco”, which was canceled in New York due to Corona 2021, on May 5th and 7th at the opening of the May Festival.

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In turn, the city and state of Hesse, as the most important sponsors of the state theater, do not like that at all. Especially since Laufenberg dedicates the May Festival to “all political prisoners in this world”, by which he also means the regime critic Alexey Navalny. Netrebko, declared an “undesirable person” by Ukraine, and two Ukrainian ensembles (Taras Shevchenko Theater from Kharkiv and the Ukrainian National Orchestra) in the same festival – how is that possible?

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“This behavior is extremely insensitive,” say the city and state in a joint press release. The country is in a clinch with Laufenberg because of various other deals and did not want to extend his contract beyond 2024. He anticipated this with his own departure. One could now call Netrebko’s commitment a tit for tat.

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“Unfortunately unsuccessfully” they asked the director to do without Netrebko, the city and state now whined in their statement; However, they do not want to terminate the contract they have concluded, so as not to infringe on artistic freedom. The head of the State Chancellery, Axel Wintermeyer (CDU), announced that Hesse’s Prime Minister Boris Rhein (CDU) would give up his patronage of the May Festival: “It’s clear: we stand in solidarity with Ukraine.”

Wiesbaden’s Lord Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende and Head of Cultural Affairs Axel Imholz (both SPD) also expressed their sniffles that “on this sensitive issue no agreement could be reached with the director”. As the state government has announced, the city will probably also cancel “representative events” at the May Festival.