Russian Opera Singer's Concert In Siberia Canceled After She Condemns War In Ukraine
Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko (file photo)
Russian soprano Anna Netrebko's concert in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk has been canceled after she condemned Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
The Opera and Ballet Theater in Novosibirsk said in a statement on March 31 that Netrebko's concert scheduled for June 2 had been canceled due to a Facebook statement she made a day earlier where she wrote "I expressly condemn the war against Ukraine and my thoughts are with the victims of this war and their families."
Netrebko added that she is "not a member of any political party, nor am I allied with any leader of Russia.”
In announcing the cancelation of the concert, the theater accused Netrebko of choosing European stages over her "Motherland's fate" by making the statement.
Netrebko had announced last month that she was retiring from concert life after her performances with the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Germany, and Metropolitan Opera in New York were canceled because she refused to publicly distance herself from President Vladimir Putin in the wake of Russia's unprovoked full-scale attack against Ukraine that started on February 24.
She said in her Facebook statement that she has met Putin “only a handful of times” and these meetings were “most notably on the occasion of receiving awards” and at the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Sochi.
“I have otherwise never received any financial support from the Russian government, and live and am a tax resident in Austria," Netrebko wrote, adding that she had decided to resume performing in late May.
The 50-year-old singer is no stranger to controversy.
In December 2014, Netrebko was in the center of a scandal over her decision to donate a significant amount of money to Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine's Donetsk region.
Netrebko's announcement comes amid sanctions imposed by the West on organizations and individuals supporting Putin and his associates over the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Many high profile Russian artists have lost their positions or had shows canceled for failing to distance themselves from Russia's leadership and the war.
Conductor and Kremlin loyalist Valery Gergiyev -- the man who discovered Netrebko -- was fired on March 1 from his position as chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic. The 68-year-old's dismissal came after he did not respond to demands by the orchestra that he distance himself from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Some Russian stars have been vocal in their opposition to the war and have chosen to leave the country.
Olga Smirnova, the principal dancer for the famed Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, left Russia for the Netherlands in protest at the war against Ukraine.
Chulpan Khamatova, a prominent Russian actress known for roles in international films, has said she is now in exile in Latvia.
Russian soprano Anna Netrebko's concert in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk has been canceled after she condemned Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
The Opera and Ballet Theater in Novosibirsk said in a statement on March 31 that Netrebko's concert scheduled for June 2 had been canceled due to a Facebook statement she made a day earlier where she wrote "I expressly condemn the war against Ukraine and my thoughts are with the victims of this war and their families."
Netrebko added that she is "not a member of any political party, nor am I allied with any leader of Russia.”
In announcing the cancelation of the concert, the theater accused Netrebko of choosing European stages over her "Motherland's fate" by making the statement.
Netrebko had announced last month that she was retiring from concert life after her performances with the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Germany, and Metropolitan Opera in New York were canceled because she refused to publicly distance herself from President Vladimir Putin in the wake of Russia's unprovoked full-scale attack against Ukraine that started on February 24.
She said in her Facebook statement that she has met Putin “only a handful of times” and these meetings were “most notably on the occasion of receiving awards” and at the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Sochi.
“I have otherwise never received any financial support from the Russian government, and live and am a tax resident in Austria," Netrebko wrote, adding that she had decided to resume performing in late May.
The 50-year-old singer is no stranger to controversy.
In December 2014, Netrebko was in the center of a scandal over her decision to donate a significant amount of money to Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine's Donetsk region.
Netrebko's announcement comes amid sanctions imposed by the West on organizations and individuals supporting Putin and his associates over the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Many high profile Russian artists have lost their positions or had shows canceled for failing to distance themselves from Russia's leadership and the war.
Conductor and Kremlin loyalist Valery Gergiyev -- the man who discovered Netrebko -- was fired on March 1 from his position as chief conductor of the Munich Philharmonic. The 68-year-old's dismissal came after he did not respond to demands by the orchestra that he distance himself from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Some Russian stars have been vocal in their opposition to the war and have chosen to leave the country.
Olga Smirnova, the principal dancer for the famed Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, left Russia for the Netherlands in protest at the war against Ukraine.
Chulpan Khamatova, a prominent Russian actress known for roles in international films, has said she is now in exile in Latvia.
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