The Netrebkos: Having it both ways
OperaThe Azerbaijani tenor and state official Yusif Eyvazov gave a recital in Moscow this weekend. ‘Missed you and will be back soon,’ he messaged with a picture in an Insta-post. Hours later, he took it down.
Both halves of this couple are playing both sides of the field. Eyvazov cannot afford to advertise his connections and sympatthies with Moscow at a time when his Russian spouse with an Austrian passport, Anna Netrebko, is inching her way back into western opera houses.
Zurich confidently expects that its new opera intendant Matthias Schulz will restore her to its stage. Schulz, who kept faith with her while at the Berlin Staatsoiper, needs both halves of the couple to stay neutral in order to maintain his plans for Zurich.
So Yusif promises Moscow he’ll be ‘back soon’ and Anna tells him to tone it down.
That seems too be the script.
Oh I sincerely hope that Ms. Netrebko makes another recording of Pierre Boulez’s “Pli selon pli”. Her first recording of it, with Seiji Ozawa conducting the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, on Decca Records, has always been the reference recording. But I feel with her newfound maturity she can plumb the depths of this work even further.
Plumbing is a potential avocation for her, when the gigs finally dry up for good.
FYI, Anna will be appearing in Verona and as Turandot at La Scala this summer. She is opening the next La Scala season in Forza in December. She has been very busy in opera, concerts and recitals in Europe, Israel, China, Paris, Buenos Aires, Dubai, Austria and Germany this year. She does not need the Met or US to have a full schedule. SORRY!
Her voice is by now a horror show – much like the woman herself and her even more morally debased husband. Not missed in the least.
The Putin lovers of Europe can keep her. America has sufficient opera star power to survive the Russuan drought, no matter how many decades it runs.
It would be ideal that art and politics don’t mix. But it’s difficult to ignore these two and their admiration for this evil man and dictator!
We know how this works, just watch the Olympics. Sports and politics don’t mix too when it comes to Israel, but mix very well when it comes to Russia.
Since Russia attacked Ukraine (now using Iranian drones), and Israel was itself attacked in the most sadistic and savage way (by Iran through its allies Hamas, plus attacks from Iran itself, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen) there is no comparison whatsoever.
Then why was the US allowed to attack Iraq in 2003?
And what about…
Get lost, Ivan.
Rules-based world ordnung, Fritz?
Finally someone with a correct understanding of these two. They would do anything for money and I don’t understand why Western opera houses keep them in such high demand. Her voice is nothing what it used to be and his is a mediocrity itself from the beginning . He is indeed Mr. Netrebko and nothing else.
Sure, everyone else sings for free. Like, Placido Domingo who is worth $300M, for example.
Coarse opportunists lacking respect but for their greedy pockets.
Reminds me of Lilli Lehmann when she forced the Metropolitan Opera to take her tenor husband Paul Kalisch if they wanted her to sing. By all standards Kalisch was a 3rd rate, but would stand heads anbd tails above Eyvazov. Problem for Netrebko is few want her, unlike Lehmann who was in demand everywhere. An Austrian passport for her is window dressing, privatrly she;s still a Putinista.
I have written this before but will again. The Austrian government ought to strip the woman (and family) of her/their passport/s and citizenship. She/they has/have not earned it and does/do not deserve it. And now more so than ever, now that the voice is shot. There is also the fact that the matriarch can’t even speak the language (German), not even after all the years. Their Austrian passport/citizenship is a complete sham and mockery.
False. Did you hear her in La Scala “Don Carlo” last year? The voice still sounded DAMN GOOD.
For the love of God these people are fine with supporting Putin’s regime they should stay off international stages and only appear in Russia if that is what they believe. Putin is a murderer he is killed tens of thousands of civilians in Ukraine and these people want to kiss up to him. As far as I’m concerned I can all go to hell.
I’ll pray for you down there, Alberto, but try to resist going there with all your might. A vaccine for Putin Derangement Syndrome is at the end of the 2nd developmental phase. Only two more phases to go!
She condemned Putin and war twice! Also she can’t go back to Russia because of that.
But hesitantly and late. VERY late. While she has (had?) a gorgeous voice there are other sopranos around, Grigorian comes to mind.
Is your special skill naiveté or propaganda?
Lv, you are correct, but the mob mentality has taken over and the truth is ignored. Many opera houses have welcomed Anna again, including two this week in Spain, Seville and Valencia..Berlin added two more operas with Anna after her success in Macbeth last September.
The Lynch mob mentality, to be precise.
Is the immorality and barbarism of you Russians truly genetic as it seems to be?
I do not know…is German barbarism genetic?
Hmm, maybe, but American barberism is much more effective at least. Has killed many more innocent civilans in the last decades in unjust wars. Congratulations to our American friends for their examplary efficiency and morals, combined with superior weapons technology.
On the other hand, despite their much lower numbers in killed civilians compared to the Americans, the Russians also kill for a much lower cost per killed civilian.
A group of Mc-Kinsey consultants to the Pentagon thus lately recommended, the Americans hire the the Russians for future unjust wars, to reduce the cost of killing civilians. The American tax payers should be happy to hear this.
But the Russians can’t be trusted to shoot in the agreed-upon direction. Notice how many of their own aircraft they shoot down.
Down with them! She was responsible for helping relect that war criminal and murderous despot!
Like his re-election depends on votes…
Please, no pictures of the Netrebkos having it both ways.