Anna Netrebko, Russian Soprano, Is Suing the Met Opera for Defamation and Breach of Contract
Update, 8/7/2023: Russian soprano Anna Netrebko is suing the Metropolitan Opera, alleging defamation and breach of contract, among other violations. The suit says that "since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Met and Peter Gelb have used Anna Netrebko as a scapegoat in their campaign to distance themselves from Russia and to support Ukraine." The Met said in a statement that "Ms. Netrebko's lawsuit has no merit." The initial story on her firing, below.
Original, 3/31/22: Anna Netrebko, the famous Russian soprano, will no longer appear at the Metropolitan Opera this season or next. Netrebko, 50, refused to distance herself from Russian president Vladimir Putin amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"It is a great artistic loss for the Met and for opera," Met General Manager Peter Gelb said in a statement. "Anna is one of the greatest singers in Met history, but with Putin killing innocent victims in Ukraine, there was no way forward." The Met announced on Thursday it would no longer hire artists who support Putin.
According to the Associated Press, "The Met made repeated efforts in recent days attempting to convince Netrebko to repudiate Putin but failed to persuade her, a person familiar with the developments said, speaking on condition of anonymity because that detail was not announced."
Gelb further told the New York Times that it is "hard to imagine a scenario in which she will return to the Met."
Netrebko's association with Putin is a longstanding one. In 2008, she received the People’s Artist of Russia honor from Putin. And in 2014, the singer was photographed holding a Novorussian flag—which represents a Russian separatist region in Ukraine. Netrebeko also donated about $18,000 to an opera house in Donetsk, a Ukrainian city controlled by pro-Russia separatists.
"I have a lot of musician friends in Donetsk, we have been writing to each other a lot, and they told me the theatre was sacred for them, and the building had been partly damaged. I decided that I wanted to help as much as I can. I think it’s the right thing to do because art is art, and helps us get through all situations," Netrebko said at the time.
Netrebko has also announced she will be suspending all upcoming performances—not just at the Met. "I am opposed to this senseless war of aggression and I am calling on Russia to end this war right now, to save all of us. We need peace right now," she said. "This is not a time for me to make music and perform. I have therefore decided to take a step back from performing for the time being. It is an extremely difficult decision for me, but I know that my audience will understand and respect this decision."
Later, Netrebko announced she will resume performances, after she took a "step back" from the stage amidst the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but still will not return to the Metropolitan Opera. In a statement posted to her social media pages, Netrebko wrote, "I expressly condemn the war on 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 allied with any leader of Russia."
She added, "I acknowledge and regret that past actions or statements of mine 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 or at the Olympics 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."
Like in an earlier statement, she emphasized that she is not a political person, yet did not explicitly denounce Putin or Russian actions.
"Having read Anna’s statement, we’re not prepared to change our position," Met Opera's General Manager Peter Gelb said in a statement. "If Anna demonstrates that she has truly and completely disassociated herself from Putin over the long-term, I would be willing to have a conversation."
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