The Netrebkos: Having it both ways

The Netrebkos: Having it both ways

Opera

norman lebrecht

May 27, 2024

The 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.

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