2023-08-31 19:26:00
On Thursday, August 31, the State Opera House on Unter den Linden (Staatsoper Unter den Linden) commented on the situation around Anna Netrebko, who in the new season 2023 – 2024 will perform the part of Lady Macbeth in Verdi’s opera at the theater. DW sent a request to the opera immediately after a petition was launched in Germany against the performance of the Russian opera diva in Berlin. On August 31, “holidays” ended in the theater, and the new theatrical season began with the fact that I had to clarify my position.
For or against Netrebko: what position did the theater take?
The Berlin Opera stressed that it condemns Russia’s war against Ukraine and, starting from February 24, 2022, the theater’s position was absolutely clear: full solidarity with Ukraine. As for Anna Netrebko, since the beginning of the war, the management of the opera treated the singer differently. In March 2022, by mutual agreement, it was decided that Anna Netrebko would not participate in the new production of Turandot. All other mutual obligations and projects were also subjected to verification. Without a clear position of the singer on the situation in Ukraine, further cooperation with her was not possible, the theater stressed. And they immediately recalled that on March 30, 2022, Anna Netrebko expressed her position, as far as it was possible for her, and distanced herself from the leadership of the Russian Federation.
The statement, which the German theater reminded the public and the media, was made by the opera singer a month after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She “categorically” condemned the war and distanced herself from Russian President Vladimir Putin. The corresponding post on Netrebko’s Facebook page was published on Wednesday, March 30. In the publication, the singer assured that her thoughts are “with the victims of this war and their families.”
Anna Netrebko’s performance on the main stage of Wiesbaden was accompanied by numerous protestsPhoto: DW
The leadership of the Berlin Opera House insists that the Russian singer, both in words and in deeds, has already shown that she has distanced herself. “This must be acknowledged,” the opera said in a statement. The theater management emphasizes that Anna Netrebko is aware of the pro-Ukrainian position of the opera: “Full solidarity with Ukraine, on the one hand, and a responsible attitude towards our artists, on the other, is extremely important for us.” Therefore, the theater considers it necessary to give the artist a chance, and not to hide her from the public. Dialogue is important for the State Opera House, the official statement says.
Petition against Netrebko’s speech in the German capital has already collected more than 28 thousand votes
Petition “No!” – Anna Netrebko’s performance at the Berlin State Opera” was published on Change.org. At the time of publication of this article, she had collected more than 28 thousand signatures. Its authors recalled that the Russian woman “constantly demonstrated her closeness to the Kremlin, received awards from Vladimir Putin, captured in photographs with him, and also posed with the flag of “Novorossiya” in a photo with one of the pro-Russian separatists Oleg Tsarev. Netrebko “only said very indifferently that she is against the current war and hopes that it will end. However, she did not say a word about the responsibility of Russia and Vladimir Putin for the war of conquest and did not condemn his actions,” the petition continues.
Recall that this is not the first wave of protests against the performances of Anna Netrebko on the stage of German theaters. A real scandal erupted in Wiesbaden, where Anna Netrebko was invited to the International May Festival this spring. DW followed the development of events and was at the speech of Anna Netrebko, which was accompanied by loud applause and no less loud protests.
The premiere of the opera “Macbeth” will take place in Berlin on 15 September.
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