Just in: German city bans Anna Netrebko
NewsThe Russian soprano’s comeback has hit a major setback.
While Italian opera houses – Verona, La Scala – have reopened their doors, the rest of Europe has waited to decide whether the former Putin endorser is now fit to perform.
Travelling on an Austrian passport, she has a raft of bookings ahead in Germany.
Last night, however, Stuttgart told Netrebko she is unwanted.
Netrebko was due to give an openair recital there on September 3.
But the venue is owned by the state of Baden-Württemberg. Its Finance Ministry has stated unequivocally that it could not tolerate Anna Netrebko performing there while the war in Ukraine was still raging.
The Finance Minister as well as the Cultural Minister of Baden-Wurttemberg are both members of the Green Party which strongly supports Ukraine. One of the most remarkable results of Putin’s actions is that he turned the pacifist, anti-war Greens into a group that more strongly supports military aid to Ukraine than any other party in Germany.
The official reason given for the cancellation is that pro- and anti-Russian demonstrations were expected along with clashes between the two groups–a clear likelihood at an open air concert. When asked by the SPD, the Greens said they do not reject artists on the basis of conscience. In this case, I doubt that. Germany is importing millions of euros of Russian gas everyday and must compensate by carefully grooming its cultural image. We forget the degree to which culture is war.
The Greens are bought by US special interests. Quite obviously. Baerbock, Özdemir, maybe more, are quite likely directly bought by US services.
The Green Party has become a farce and a joke of it’s original pacifist self.
Germany needs urgently clever rational “Realpolitik”. What it gets is ideological narcissistic “feel good” politics by irrational amateurs.
It’s important to point out that these are huge assertions with no proof at all. I can’t fully explain the Green stance regarding Russia, but I think there are two major factors: 1) the party is strongly antiauthoritarian and thus opposed to Putin, and 2) they are not as tied to the economic interests centered around Russian energy, and especially not like the SPD.
“…the (Green) party is strongly antiauthoritarian…”
Hahahaha! Ever the wit, Mr Osborn!
You must be a tenor (in the most stereotypical sense). With this level of political analysis perhaps you should apply to become an advisor to The Orange Blob. But thanks anyway, I’ll use you analysis later to get a laugh out of my colleagues at my Political Science Department.
studying the biographies of Baerbock and Özdemir intimately might be a first step for you to loose your arrogant ignorant laughter.
Oh, they were bought and used like puppets huh? And you know this because you are part of some type of intelligence? That’s probably why you can’t provide any proof for your outlandish claims right?
My god, the extent to which people try to believe whatever they want to satisfy their small small ego
Greens and Nazis allies against Russia.
“Greens and Nazis allies against Russia.”
That must be why the Nazis (AfD) want to get rid of the sanctions while the Greens want more sanctions.
You’re so smart!!
I hate people. Russian trolls even more.
Well, Germany & Austria thought they could fix Covid by blaming the unvaccinated, with criminal law…
It took some “political science” before actual statistics.
Even Adolf or Putin would be proud.
Good for Stuttgart.
politics should not interfere with art, I would love to see her
Then go see her. You might have to travel, just as she might have to travel to find a place where she is welcome.
If politics should not interfere with art, why has she expressed her political views and sympathies so forthrightly on many occasions? She should now live with the consequences of her allegiances.
Am having a lot of trouble here, imagining how Germany can afford to be that self-righteous.
me too. especially Stuttgart with their erstwhile son of a Nazi mayor, Rommel.
Gen. Erwin Rommel was part of an attempt to assassinate Hitler in 1944. When the effort failed, Rommel was arrested. It was a huge embarrassment for the regime to have such a famous general part of the assassination attempt. He was given the choice of quietly committing suicide or having his family murdered. He chose suicide. His son, who later became mayor of Stuttgart, was a symbol of postwar anti-Nazi Germany.
Yes, Manfred Rommel was very highly regarded internationally.
Germany has a social conscience they earned from their own catastrophic failures of the past. Good that nations can change.
“Just in”? In fact, the media has been reporting on this for two days. Example: https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/baden-wuerttemberg/stuttgart/netrebko-darf-wohl-nicht-in-stuttgart-auftreten-100.html
90 years too late to claim moral superiority
On that basis I think a few other western countries will have a problem doing moral superiority
how about eastern countries? in fact, any countries?
Still, whishing all the other problematic nations to make this peocess of becoming moral
exactly
“90 years too late to claim moral superiority”
Funny, coming from a nation of slave traders. (Oh, THAT does fall under the statute of limitations? Okay. And when was this exactly?)
Brettermeier, the U.S. Civil War ended slavery 157 years ago in 1865, resulting in the death of 750,000 Americans on both sides.The evil aftermath of slavery is still felt today. During World War II, there were 15,000,000 battle deaths and 45,000,000 civilian deaths, according to the U.S. National World War II Museum. Older people still have memories of that time.
I was talking about the UK. Care to list all your knowledge about that, too?
I bet Stuttgart just wants Putin’s gas.
Sehr gut ! Wie mutig die Stadt Stuttgart ist!
But Currentzis is still chief conductor of the publicly funded SWR Symphony Orchestra. LOL
She doesn’t need all that, Austrian passport or not.
She made her bed with Putin.
Henceforth, all foreign opera singers should refuse to perform in Germany in light of the support so many Germans gave to Hitler.
Totally mindless and uninformed people. Total hypocrites, using Russian gas, paying Russia for it etc. I am not even talking of daily war crimes committed by Ukrainian (lying) army, , or its fascist contingency. I am neither Ukrainian nor Russian, but can read the news critically. No one seems o do that anymore. Oh Schreck, only Trump?
It’s terrible the way she is being treated at the Met, and now Germany! What the hell do they want her to do? Hate that she is Russian?! She already said she thought the war was wrong! What more do they want?!
and nazi allied herbert von karajan was welcome to conduct at metropolitan
Karajan was not a Nazi ally. Check your facts before posting.
“What the hell do they want her to do?”
Simple: Renounce Putin or play for him (in Russia).
When did her Putin-endorsing become “former”?
the “Finance Ministry of Finance” is a subsection of the Department of Redundancy Department.
I just returned from an opera tour of Italy. Gioconda at La Scala, Nabucco at Verona, Grimes at La Fenice. Where are the voices these days? Other than Grimes, the level of singing at the great Italian opera houses was really depressing. Netrebko may have recently appeared in those theaters, but I didn’t see her. I would’ve been happy to see her appearances — she’s a thrilling presence. Let’s not pretend she’s a political genius, or particularly intelligent on any subject other than singing.
Hypocritical virtue signalling.
Good…..my onetime opera house,Stuttgart,has at least 3 sopranos in her fach who give her a run for her money.
What the cash box loses, music gains. Pity that Lang Lang does not support the war BTW.