La Scala will open with Russian opera
NewsThe next La Scala season will open in December 7 with Boris Godunov, starring Anna Netrebko and Ildar Abdrazakov.
The director will be Caspar Holten, the conductor Riccardo Chailly.
The Mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, said: ‘ I hope that there will be peace by December 7th.’
Sovrintendente Dominique Meyer said: ‘”I oppose a witch hunt. I oppose the deletion of Russian works.’
Surprising choice. Chailly since his come back has the priority to do italian operas especially for the 7th. it was a way to do things in a way very different from Barenboim before. Nice to have Ildar Abdrazakov he was excellent in Macbeth last year.
Since the beginning of russia’s invasion of Ukraine Abzdrakov does not leave russia, his name simply disappears from the cast shortly before the premiere (Naples, where he was to debut as Scarpia, Boris Ggodunov in Vienna), without any explanation. During this time Ildar has a busy calendar in russia, concerts, operas, he took part in a pop TV show “Mask” (like his pal Eyvazov dida last year). For the next season theatres in the West cast him as if nothing ever happened. But… his name is in the cast of “Don Carlos” in Munich, which premieres on September 25. But from 2 to 17 September Ildar has a tour in russia, so he could appear in Munich a week before the premiere. Who is making a fool of whom? I have the impression that the theatres want to sell tickets on his name and at the last minute – surprise! he will cancel. Or maybe they think that by autumn russia will exterminate the ukrainians to the very last of them and – o gioia! – things will return to normal. Let’s go out, have a dinner, drink some wine and appreciate some “high art”
When I reacted this morning I didn’t know everything about the position of Ildar Abdrazakov concerning the war. i was only talking about the memories of his performance last December.
The problem is not the “deletion of Russian works”. The problem is: why an opening night with a Russian opera NOW? Why with the leading role given to a bass who was prized by Putin himself 2011?
Chailly and Meyer are really a bad leading team for La Scala.
La Scala season’s opening with “Boris Godunov” was decided by Chailly and Meyer three years ago.
You are right no reason to change the opera to play. The singers… Maybe. Anyway Abdrazakov and Netbretko will have to talk to the press before the 7th of December. And they will have to be frank. An instagram post will not be enough. There will be a lot questions and it’s normal. When you do the 7th you have to do many interviewes anyway.
The war is NOW
Mr. Meyer, no witch hunt and no deletion of Russian works disinformation. Oppose those Russian performers who refuse to denounce genocide in Ukraine.
This must be the 9-scene Boris, which we are seeing less and less often. That, at least, is a good thing.
Nope. According to La Scala webpage, it’s going to be the original 1869 version.
On La Scala’s website (as in Italian newspapers) there is, yet, no mention of Anna Netrebko.
When I first read the post, I truly thought it was some sort of sick joke. Now I realize it is just perversion on La Scala’s part. Optics matter, Mr. Meyer, optics matter.
“Boris Godunov, starring Anna Netrebko and Ildar Abdrazakov”??!! That reminds of an announcement years ago on the English Mariinsky website : “Anna Netrebko in the title role of Don Giovanni”. Just as funny as “Olga Borodina as Khovanshchina”.
Because there is no Marina in this production and Anna will no longer sing Xenia, may be Pimen, Varlaam or one of the tenor roles?
She was never about singing, was she now.
The innocent perhaps?
NO! Boris itself is fine. It is great music, and the story has a message that more than resonates today but allowing a disgraced, disgraceful and very fading soprano such as Netrebko to rehabilitate herself in this manner is simply wrong. Let her go home to “mother Russia” and her good friend Putin. And take her no talent husband with her.
Anna Netrebko will not appear in Boris Godunov. She will star as Lady Macbeth at La Scala, June 17-July 8: 2023
Anna Netrebko will also give a recital at La Scala on February 26, 2023, featuring music by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Rimsky-Korsakov and Glinka. She will be joined by Elena Bashkirova.
“A Life for the President” or “Special Operation and Peace” might have been better choices.
Correction: The date for Anna Netrebko’ s recital at La Scala is March 19; 2023.
I guess neither Dominique Meyer nor Chailly have a Ukranian wife, otherwise they would have gone on a crusade like what our Peter Gelb has done,
“…with special guest, the most high and honourable Vladmir Putin. All proceeds from the opening will go directly to the ongoing military operation in Russia.”
Today it looks like a joke – and very far from a witty one.