Anna Netrebko is a Russian and Austrian opera soprano. People's Artist of the Russian Federation (2008), Kammersängerin of the Vienna State Opera (2017). Born on September 18, 1971, in Krasnodar, RSFSR. Holds citizenship of both Russia and Austria.
On May 9, 2010, at the Vienna State Opera on the occasion of Victory Day, she appeared before the audience wearing a T-shirt bearing the slogan "To Berlin!" alongside a St. George's ribbon.
On February 6, 2012, she was officially registered as an authorized representative of presidential candidate Vladimir Putin.
In December 2014, she donated one million rubles to the Donetsk Opera Theater and posed for photographs with the flag of "Novorossiya" alongside one of the separatist leaders, Oleg Tsaryov.
In September 2017, she was entered into the database of the "Myrotvorets" website for aiding terrorists and Russian occupiers, anti-Ukrainian propaganda, financing "DPR" terrorists, and other violations.
Anna Netrebko's stance on the war in Ukraine
Following the outbreak of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, on February 26, 2022, Anna Netrebko posted a statement on Facebook in which she cautiously expressed disagreement with current events while emphasizing that she is an artist rather than a politician (conveniently overlooking her public political acts in 2014):
I am Russian and I love my Motherland, but I have many relatives and friends in Ukraine, and the pain and suffering that the civilian population is going through breaks my heart. I want the war to end and for people to be able to live in peace! However, I want to add one thing: forcing artists and any public figures to voice their political views publicly and condemn their Motherland is unacceptable! This should be a free choice for everyone. Like many of my colleagues, I am not a politician. I am a musician, and my goal is to unite people by overcoming political divisions.
Severed contracts and international fallout
In early March 2022, the Bavarian State Opera and the Metropolitan Opera terminated their collaboration with Anna Netrebko, attributing their decisions to the soprano's unwillingness to repudiate her long-standing "public support" for Vladimir Putin. Netrebko's scheduled appearances were cancelled across a number of cities, including Liechtenstein, Stuttgart, Tallinn, and Prague.
On March 30, 2022, the singer issued another statement that resembled an attempt to salvage her career in Europe rather than a clear anti-war position:
I expressly condemn the war against Ukraine and my thoughts are with the victims of this war and their families. My position is clear. I am not a member of any political party, nor am I affiliated with any leader of Russia. I acknowledge and regret that my past actions or statements could have been misinterpreted. In fact, I have met President Putin only a handful of times in my entire life, most notably on the occasion of receiving awards in recognition of my art and at the Olympic opening ceremony. I have otherwise never received any financial support from the Russian government, and live and am a tax resident in Austria. I love my homeland of Russia and only seek peace and unity through my art. After a break, I will resume performing in late May, initially in Europe.
Following this statement, Russian authorities accused Netrebko of betrayal, and her concerts within Russia were likewise cancelled.
Sanctions and current career
On January 6, 2023, she was added to the sanction list of Ukraine "for visiting occupied territories after the invasion began, participating in propaganda concerts, and publicly supporting the war and Putin's regime."
Today, Netrebko once again fills European concert halls and commands multi-million fees, although her performances continue to draw frequent protests and criticism from Ukrainians and human rights activists.
