Beneath the gilded ceiling of the Berlin State Opera, the sounds of Verdi’s music soar as elegantly dressed guests sip champagne, and ushers in formal black suits guide them to their seats. On stage stands Anna Netrebko, one of the world’s most acclaimed opera singers, performing the role of Leonora in Il Trovatore.
But outside the venue, a very different scene unfolds. About thirty protesters, many draped in Ukrainian flags, chant slogans against “Russian propaganda.” One demonstrator holds a sign that reads: “Among dozens of world-class opera voices, you choose the voice of a Russian who supports Putin.” A Ukrainian ambulance, damaged by shrapnel, is parked nearby as a grim symbol of war.
The protest is aimed directly at Netrebko. Her voice is revered worldwide, but her name, in the eyes of critics, is closely associated with the Kremlin and the conflict in Eastern Ukraine. The controversy stems from past photographs showing her with Russian President Vladimir Putin: she was awarded by him in 2005 and 2008, and photographed again in 2013 at the opening of an opera house in St. Petersburg. In 2015, after donating one million rubles to an opera house in Donetsk, Netrebko was booed in New York; the donation was made in front of Russian TV cameras and handed to a separatist politician. Her manager later stated that she did not know who the recipient was.
Political Boycott and Image Crisis
Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Netrebko posted on social media:
“I am Russian, I love my country, but I have many friends in Ukraine, and my heart breaks for them. War is a horror. Forcing artists or public figures to publicly denounce their homeland is wrong.”
For many, however, her words were not enough. A wave of cancellations followed: her performances in Munich, Zurich, Lucerne, Stuttgart, Berlin, and other cities were suspended. The Bavarian State Opera stated that Netrebko “did not sufficiently distance herself from the regime.” The Metropolitan Opera in New York, where she had long been a prima donna, also cut ties. Netrebko responded by suing the Met for defamation, discrimination, and breach of contract. The Met declined to comment, citing ongoing legal proceedings.
To mitigate the fallout, Netrebko changed her management and hired crisis PR firms in the UK and Germany. In a March 2022 statement, she reiterated:
“I expressly condemn the war against Ukraine.”
However, as Bloomberg notes, she still avoids directly criticizing Putin.
Her new manager, Miguel Esteban, clarified:
“Anna Netrebko is not and has never been close to Vladimir Putin.”
She ceased giving interviews and declined to speak with Bloomberg for this article. Despite this, her career gradually resumed. She was welcomed in Madrid, Monaco, Paris, and Verona. In July 2023, she returned to the United States for the first time in six years, performing at a Palm Beach Opera gala.
Return to the Stage and Europe’s Divided Response
Her return to Berlin carried particular weight. In September 2023, she performed there for the first time since the war began. The backlash was immediate: 150 people protested, 37,000 signed a petition to cancel the performance, and 100 German cultural and academic figures published an open letter opposing her appearance. Booing erupted after her first aria, and a massive Ukrainian flag was draped over the opera house’s facade.
By May 2025, however, the situation had shifted. Fewer protesters appeared, no petition circulated, no open letters were issued, and no flags were hung. Of the five Netrebko performances scheduled in Berlin, four were already sold out.
“It’s my first time seeing her live. I wanted to understand what’s so special about her,” said audience member Mario Gessler. “I fully support Ukraine, but Anna Netrebko didn’t start this war.”
Some activists, such as Eva Yakubovska from the Ukrainian organization Vitsche, acknowledged the waning momentum of the boycott:
“New faces still show up, but the dynamic has clearly slowed.”
Another protester, Kateryna Derdiuk, expressed frustration that the Berlin State Opera is 70% publicly funded:
“I have friends who died in this war. And here, people are celebrating the beauty of Netrebko’s voice.”
Netrebko was not the only Russian musician affected by the invasion. Conductor Valery Gergiev was dismissed from the Munich Philharmonic for refusing to denounce the war. Violinist Vadim Repin was replaced by the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra in Maryland. Pianist Alexander Malofeev’s concert in Canada was canceled. Conductor Tugan Sokhiev resigned from his posts in both Moscow and Toulouse, saying it was impossible to choose “between my beloved Russian and beloved French musicians.” Their representatives declined to comment.
Germany remains sharply divided on how to treat artists with ties to Russia. Franziska Davies, professor of Eastern European History at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, remarked:
“Great Russian culture is part of Russia’s soft power. During war, we should be giving more visibility to Ukrainian artists.” She called Netrebko’s return to Germany “a scandal.”
Nevertheless, her professional rehabilitation continues. In 2025, Netrebko is once again performing at major venues across Europe — London, Zurich, Berlin — with only Munich still keeping its distance.
“The situation has normalized quite a lot,” said Matthias Schulz, former artistic director of the Berlin State Opera, now preparing to head Zurich Opera. “She is one of the best singers in the world. For this role, she’s the best. And the Swiss public deserves the best opera performers.”
Today, Anna Netrebko’s return is more than just a musical event. It is a mirror reflecting Europe’s inner divisions — between reverence for artistic excellence and political accountability, between the right to remain apolitical and the demand for moral clarity in times of war.
This article was prepared based on materials published by Bloomberg. The author does not claim authorship of the original text but presents their interpretation of the content for informational purposes.
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