Adults only: Banned Netrebkos have a night out in Verona
NewsThe video shows Anna Netrebko and her husband Yusif Eyvazov sharing confidences after a night out with their friends the Azerbaijani baritone Elchin Azizov and his wife Gama.
They posted it originally on Instagram, then took it down. A well-wisher retrieved it for public edification. In the video, Netrebko says: ‘We are happy, well, a little drunk, which is good.’
She calls out to her companions: “Guys! the handsome ones! ‘Elchin, Gama, Yusi…
Eyvazov is heard complaining: ‘Now people will write that you walk all around Europe drunk.
She repeats to camera: “They will write that I…”
Eyvazov adds, off camera: ‘Dickheads!’
Netrebko, to camera: ‘You are dickheads, guys, you are dickheads. My husband told you that, clearly.’ She blows a kiss.
The words used ‘Долбоящеры вы’ are rather stronger than ‘dickheads’.
The video has gone viral in Russia.
Both Netrebko and Eyvazov are embroiled in backlash after Eyvazov attacked the American soprano Angel Blue for withdrawing from Verona last week because his wife blacked up for Aida. Eyvazov called Angel Blue’s behaviour ‘disgusting’.
The Metropolitan Opera general manager Peter Gelb wrote to Eyvazov on Friday, calling his intervention ‘hateful’. Gelb let the NY Times know that ‘there is no room at the Met for artists who are so meanspirited in their thinking.’
I think Mr. Eyvazov raised a very valid point when he wrote about the hypocrisy and double standards surrounding the blackface affair relative to other affairs. He wrote, and I am paraphrasing, that no one raised a ruckus when not too long ago a certain American mezzo went drag by donning a beard and singing a decidedly male role, that of Don José, in Bizet’s Carmen. It is evident that anyone who dared criticize the latter affront would be promptly labeled a homophobe so it was all quickly swept under the rug but not after some celebratory musings on social media for bravery or pushing boundaries or whatever. It is rather disturbing to observe the cherry-picking of hot-button issues that goes around and how they are handled by “gatekeepers”.
are we seriously pretending like women don’t play men in opera???? What about pants roles? The performances that Armenophobic talentless hack cited were two concert performances by a second-tier company clearly marketed as an unusual Carmen. Meanwhile by all accounts the mezzo sang the role with great artistry and respect for the score, two things nobody would ever praise Eyvasov for doing. To draw comparisons between this single experimental run of Carmen’s to the practice Angel Blue criticized is at best ignorant, and more likely extraordinarily dishonest. Which should surprise nobody coming from this man.
The only thing about Yousif Eyvazov that should be taken seriously is when he signs up for remedial singing lessons, which he desperately needs.
Were it not for his current wife (who established facts suggest is unlikely to be his final wife), he would otherwise be the star attraction at the Chisinau Opera House in Moldova.
… but not BEFORE some celebratory musings on social media …
I can’t think of anything stronger than dickhead.
Any suggestions?
Hmmmm…what about “Russian”?
Yes but they wouldn’t get printed!
Rather boring for adults only. Долбоящеры is certainly not stronger then dickheads – it’s a half joking slang, literally “obstinate dinosaur”
Долбоящеры is not stronger than dickhead, it’s not even a swear word technically, it literally means dumb lizards, and is applied to describe foolish or not too bright people.
Not accurate: Yusi says that people will say you’re долбоящия and then Netrebko repeats that she is. It’s not to anyone.
good not to deface people with poor translations…
You’d think they’d be busking at the Piazza delle Erbe for charity.
How about something from Kiss Me, Kate…
We open in Venice
We next play Verona
Then on to Cremona
Lotsa money in Cremona
Our next jump is Parma
That stingy, dingy menace
Then Mantua, then Padua
Then we open again, where?
Peter Gelb has no tolerance for ‘meanspirited thinking’ save for own perhaps?
Please enlighten me.
If I declare that regardless of my biological sex I identify as something else and dress as such, none shall dare to criticize me. Correct?
What happens if I declare that regardless of my white skin color, I identify as black and color myself ? The same? No? Why not?
One way or another, the Russians really took offense. As a result, the diva posted another video on her Instagram. Not to apologize for her behavior, she never does that, just to clarify that the word did not refer to her fans but to journalists and other bloggers. “You have to believe me!” and if you don’t believe me, you have to leave my channel,” she said. So she actually stated the same thing, once again, only with different words : “I am not to be criticized!” and if someone doesn’t like it…. first she called her critics “human shits”, now this – but some fans are still thrilled that their goddess deigns to insult them (but not all of them). And this vulgar колхозница, like some who were offended called her, is supposed to be the successor of the great singers of the 20th century?
Who really cares about all this nonsense. ?
If Verdi wanted his Otello or Falstaff to be Japanese then he would have written / composed it thus, or set those operas in Ceylán/ Srilanka now.!
Again another misquote. That 4th line from Kiss Me, Kate is actually “Lotsa quail in Cremona.”
Steve
Perhaps you missed the joke.
This event happened one week ago, but you are repeating it like it is a news story that just happened. Have you mentioned that Anna Netrebko was greeted by a cheering sold-out audience of 14,000 on June16, her second performance as Aida, despite the outrage over phony charges of racism. I understand historical context, but I’ll be glad when dark makeup is no longer required by venues like Verona. Several other white singers are wearing it this year, not just Netrebko.
Never mind, gives everyone a good opportunity to vent their on-line hate. They are doing you a favour.
M. McAlpin, I agree with your analysis. Scolding anonymous critics on-line is a better way to express frustration (Covid-positive, inflation, and my husband of 50 years who knows which buttons to push, then laughs at me). We all need a sense of humor,
Great voice, vulgar person. Nothing previously unseen in the history of opera.
(I am talking about the lady, off course, and not the “totally-wrong” tenor, who deserves only the second adjective).
Who says the “arts” are “elite?” Seems pig wrestling is popular in Verona.
Bravo to Angel Blue. With the reaction of the Netrebkos et al we once again see classy people (from a certain circle of countries?) in action, meriting the Russian phrase happily left untranslated.
Let’s just get on with the job: wonderful music making in a wonderful arena