Ukraine bans artists from appearing anywhere with Anna Netrebko
OperaUkraine has pulled its orchestra and other artists from the International May Festival in Wiesbaden.
From the FAZ:
When the Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko performs at the International May Festival, artists from Ukraine who are also engaged will not participate. “They are not allowed to do that,” said the Ukrainian Consul General in Hesse, Vadym Kostiuk, in conversation with the F.A.Z. on Thursday.
As reported, the director of the Wiesbaden State Theater, Uwe Eric Laufenberg, had assured that the Taras Shevchenko Theatre from Kharkiv and the Ukrainian National Orchestra had nothing wrong with Netrebko’s performance. This was one of the arguments with which Laufenberg stuck to Netrebko’s appearance.
Whatever you think of her your caption on the photo is absolutely outrageous. Shame on you.
I feel similar to ‘Alan’. We’re talking about human beings and reducing AN to a cartoon is just not helpful-actually a complete waste of energy. I have no beef with AN or anger towards her and her husband. As I said in my comment earlier today they have nil political influence. Let people who don’t agree with letting her perform protest outside the theatre and to the managers of venues. I want the war to stop. I want peace. To summarise: AN or any other freelance artists are not going to be the people sitting around a table with the relevant politicians. Those who likely feel powerless and want revenge on the AN of this world, I say to you, show some emotional intelligence and target persons who can have an influence. Imput something that’s positive in the present circumstances.
As Ms. Netrebko freely promotes her personal life and career via Twitter and other social media sites–most often with humor–the gloves are off. Clearly, appealing to her humanity has not worked.
Continue as before, Mr. Lebrecht.
I’m just wondering if you, Norman, are happy with your “jokes” (photo edit). Because it seems to me that you are the only one to laugh at it.
They are not allowed to do that, or what exactly will happen to them under Zelensky?
Ukraine has been invaded. Unfortunately the typical freedoms usually enjoyed are cut off during war.
“Boris, you keel moose, I keel squirrel”.
Anonymous Bosch: Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale, two incompetent Russian spies, were my favorite cartoon characters on the animated “Rocky and Bullwinkle Show” (1959-1960). Rocky was a squirrel and Bullwinkle was a moose who outsmarted Boris and Natasha, who always said “Boris, you keel moose, I keel squirrel.” Thanks for the memory.
Now it gets interesting.
Is Ukraine a state aspiring to be democratic and fostering freedom?
Or are their citizens slaves of an authoritarian state, which can „allow them“ – or not – to perform in a German music festival?
Losers on all sides, again.
I’ve every sympathy for Ukraine and I hope they win against Russia and get back the invaded territory. But if I was hoping to gain international sympathy for my wartorn country’s cause I wouldn’t be monitoring international concert schedules to nitpick about who gets to play Tchaikovsky and who can sing with who.
The above translation is a bit unclear. FAZ reports that the festival director, Uwe Eric Laufenberg, said the Ukrainian artists did not object to working with Netrebko. The Ukrainians, however, are forbidden to work with her due to sanctions against her placed by the Ukrainian government.
FAZ also reports that the state and city pressured Laufenberg to cancel Netrebko’s performance, but he refused because the Ukrainian artists did not object to her performance. (It’s difficult to follow all of this in the very brief and probably truncated article.)
What strikes me is that the Ukrainian and Russian people would probably get along just fine if the leaders (including in the “West”) hadn’t pushed them into war. There were so many better solutions to this horrific and shameful conflict, but our leaders on both sides have failed us miserably.
Don’t forget the media.
Leaders on both sides have failed?… maybe, up to a point. However, you are creating a false equivalency. One of those leaders is BY FAR the guilty one by invading a sovereign nation and causing the death of thousands of people both in Russia and Ukraine. You can’t equal Putin’s horrible despicable actions to the ones of leaders from the West.
I didn’t equate them. Your misreading of my post a common knee jerk, chauvinistic reaction that helps promulgate the insanity. Putin is clearly a monster, clearly the worst, but people should inform themselves and understand that there were also serious mistakes and wrongs committed by the West including policies to surround and isolate Russia that go all the way back to Russophobes like Zbigniew Kazimierz Brzeziński under Carter, Madeline Albright under Clinton, and the New American Century people under GW Bush. Those actions too are behind this terrible war which is only going to get worse and worse which will feed right into US interests on numerous levels.
Obviously you haven’t been paying attention since this conflict started about 9 years ago. Ukraine chose to be a proxy warrior, so now it’s having a proxy funeral. I have little sympathy for the Nazi Bandera-loving regime. It took Karma 8 years to teach them a lesson, via Russia. I hope this lesson sticks this time.
Of course they can’t appear at this festival. SD wrote about this document, issued on January 7. https://www.president.gov.ua/documents/42023-45517
If the Ukrainian government itself has asked other countries to ban those listed ( in the attachment) – and Netrebko is among them – then Ukrainian artists cannot do otherwise. And I doubt they want to. People in the West continue to refuse to accept that there is a war for the survival of the Ukrainian state and nation. Their prospective pleasure at hearing some singer is supposed to be more important than what Ukrainians feel at such a critical moment.
If you read the article, you will see that the Ukrainian musicians have no problem being on the same program as AN. That’s because music belongs to the entire world and no one-certainly not Zelensky- has the right to tell any artist who or which organizations they can perform with.
“”They are not allowed to do that,” said the Ukrainian Consul General in Hesse…”
So evidently Putin’s claim of fascism has merit, after all.
Anybody that supports the greatest murderer in the 21st century should not be allowed to be a public figure. Period.
That’s actually factually false.
“From 24 February 2022 to 2 January 2023, OHCHR recorded 17,994 civilian casualties in Ukraine: 6,919 killed and 11,075 injured.”
In comparison the civilian(!) casualties in the illegal invasion of Iraq by the US admin under G.W.Bush are counted int he hundreds of thousands, even by the most conservative accounts.
The greatest murderer in the 21st century is still that former US administration. Fact! No matter if one likes it or not. And not excusing a bit of Putin’s belligerent and tyrannical agenda. But he is not on top of the mass murderer list.
Slava Ukraine:)
May I suggest checking out the following link from BR-de-nachrichten: A rough translation would read:
Anna Netrebko gatheren in a Shitstorm in her native region in Russia.
Russian fans had described the Diva, born in the northrussian Kuban Region, as a Kosakin, whereupon the singer answered saying that she was – unlike many of her compatriots – “loved”. Now the outrage is huge, one person saying: I am very disappointed.
Had Anna N. just let it go at that, then the Shitstorm might have trickled down to nothing, but, no, she just could not keep her mouth shut and went an to say that the best time of her life was NOT in the Kuban Region.
For the entire article, please consult BR-de-nachrichten, the beginning of the German original is as follows:
Anna Netrebko erntet Shitstorm in ihrer russischen Heimatregion
Russische Fans hatten die im nordkaukasischen Kuban-Gebiet geborene Opern-Diva als „Kosakin“ bezeichnet, worauf die Sängerin antwortete, sie werde im Unterschied zu vielen Landsleuten „geliebt“. Jetzt ist die Empörung groß: „Ich bin sehr enttäuscht.“
BR-de-nachrichten
Hello, Dixie, I follow Anna Netrebko’s Instagram account and read the letters in Russian using the Google translate app. I also read the German publication you recommended.The original letter commented that it must be difficult to be a Kuban Cossack and Russian living in the West. AN replied It would be difficult for the writer but not for AN because many people still love her. AN said she has not lived in Krasnodar since she left to attend the music conservatory at 16 and she had occasionally returned to visit family. This angered a few others who believed she wasn’t being patriotic and was turning her back on Russia by living in Austria. There is still resentment about her criticism of the invasion of Ukraine. In summary, AN faces bias in Russia and the West, which is supposedly more tolerant.
It’s absolutely pointless for Ukrainian or other countries, orchestras, organisations or institutions, etc etc to ban somebody like AN. She’s a singer and a nobody in the world of politics. What do you think she can do to stop the war? Go to Putin and say, ‘Vladimir. This invasion is not a good idea. It would be best to pull out now before even more people are killed and cities decimated.’ And further, do you think that a person like Putin, who is a seriously disordered person/psychopath and extremely dangerous, would listen to AN if she did try to talk the language of peace to him?! It seems to me that other types of sactions which target more directly the Russian government are worth implementing. But not a non politico like AN…. I would be interested to hear lots of comments on SD and not just the default AN haters……. It is all so very, very painful. DISCUSS.
Ms. Netrebko was political by her associations. If that was not her intent, she would have disassociated herself from Putin long ago. She reaped the career rewards and now she is paying the price. Her decision, not ours. The situation is not that complex.
Another comment from a westerner, who is totally clueless about the realities of living in totalitarian states, but is of course full of entitlement to judge and telling anybody in the world what is right or wrong.
I’m so tired of these people who do not use their privileges to make this world a better place, but mockingly destroy it by negligence and ignorance.
And…paraphrasing Siegmund Freud about AN: Sometimes an opera singer ist just an opera singer.
Hello, Tiredofitall: Anna Netrebko was already an established star by 2008 when she was presented the People’s Artist of Russia Award by thr President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. Time Magazine named her one of the 100 most influence
people in the world in 2007. Russia chose Anna to sing the Olympic Anthem at the opening of the Winter Olympics in 2014 because of her fame. Russia benefitted from her world renown talent. She didn’t need Putin. AND, she was not “Putin’s girlfriend.” Her partner at that time was Erwin Schrott, a handsome baritone.
Vladimir Putin lies awake at night, unable to sleep, one fear tormenting him: “If I lose Gergiev and Netrebko, I lose the Russian people.”
Naw, this never happens. Netrebko is a silly and scatter-brained woman who happens to have (had) a remarkably singing voice. Her opinions on other matters are irrelevant. We should ignore them. And she’d save herself a lot of trouble if she’d refrain from sharing them on social media.
Ukraine needs tanks and missiles and planes to save their country, not bans on classical music artists.
Success depends on keeping your eye on the *REAL* goal.
MUSIC HAS NO BORDERS and IS OWNED BY THE ENTIRE WORLD. Zelensky, the cry baby C grade “actor” trying to portray himself as a leader is a joke. You notice he always has his ‘costume’ on?? A dirty T-shirt and combat pants and boots?? Oh, and his terrible vocal imitation of a battle worn General?? He’s ACTING!! Remember, “All the world’s a stage!” The jig is up Zelensky! We all know you’re a wannabe actor!
Music belongs to EVERYONE. It is not up to Ukraine (or Zelensky)to dictate who can appear or not appear. If ANY ARTIST has earned the right to appear in Wiesbaden or anywhere else, they can perform there-Ukraine’s “clueless actor” pretending to be a great leader has NO RIGHT to pull those performances and no one cares if the entire Russian Opera is performing there!