She is said to have a certain closeness to the Russian ruler Putin. Opera singer Anna Netrebko returns to the stage after her break – and is celebrated.
After appearances in Monaco and Paris, the Russian star soprano Anna Netrebko, who was criticized for her hesitant attitude towards Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, wants to sing in Germany again.
She will come this year with her husband Yusif Eyvazov for concerts in Regensburg, the Cologne Philharmonic and the Hamburg Elbphilharmonie, among others, according to a statement on Friday. Performances in Frankfurt am Main, Vienna and Malmö are to follow in the coming year.
After the beginning of the war, Netrebko temporarily withdrew from concert life. Several opera houses had canceled performances by her. In Paris, the 50-year-old was enthusiastically celebrated on Wednesday evening after her concert in the Philharmonie. She had interpreted works by Rachmaninoff, Debussy and Tchaikovsky. The Ukrainian embassy reacted to the appearance with severe criticism.
Not without controversy
That the concert could take place is outrageous. The discord between French public opinion supporting Ukraine and the hypocrisy of the audience applauding the “Kremlin soprano” is sad, the diplomatic mission said on Twitter. A few dozen demonstrators had demonstrated against the concert in front of the Paris Philharmonie.
Netrebko was already on the stage of the Monte Carlo Opera in Monaco last month. After the start of the war in Ukraine on February 24, Netrebko initially showed hesitation, but then expressly condemned the war against Ukraine. Netrebko lives mainly in Austria. (dpa)