Breaking: Monte Carlo breaks the ban on Anna Netrebko

Breaking: Monte Carlo breaks the ban on Anna Netrebko

News

norman lebrecht

April 14, 2022

The Opéra de Monte-Carlo has just announced a replacement for an unwell Maria Agresta in the title role of Manon Lescaut.

Her name is Anna Netrebko and she will start singing next week, on April 22.

No mention is made in the announcement of the war in Ukraine.

Comments

  • A.L. says:

    I-just-can’t

  • Alexander says:

    apparently, The Grimaldis know a bit more than other people 😉 She is always a good girl 😉
    PS Pleiades be with her ….

  • circus says:

    great,
    good to hear!
    stop the witch-hunting

  • Tim Walton says:

    Sanction the idiots at the opera house.

  • Achim Mentzel says:

    It was clear that sooner or later she would be invited back. She is a good cow to milk, the organizers sell tickets and earn, the audience is satisfied, so it is a win-win situation for all involved. We could now lash out with the moral club, but it is of no use. In simple words: people don’t give a shit about morals and just want to have entertainment, enjoyment and fun.

  • Verdi says:

    Gergiev will conduct the orchestra?…

  • SVM says:

    Netrebko’s nationality and political views are completely irrelevant in the context of engaging artists (or other categories of staff) for an opera production. And Monte Carlo is not in Ukraine, so the opera in the former has no particular business commenting on events in the latter.

    • Amos says:

      Karl Bohm sends his thanks for justifying his life long support of fascism and the genocide it engendered.

  • Paolo says:

    Her husband sing too

  • AA says:

    Hm. I’d like to know what kind of ailment Maria Agresta contracted.
    And how much (and whom) – it cost.

  • BB says:

    And who sings De Grieux? surprise, surprise – ce cher Yussif. So he came for repetitions – while Anna is vacationing in Egypt – maybe met some friends and several days later the miracle happenedI Hehehehehehehe. Pecunia non olet. Even Putin’s – a prince’s sense of smell is not so delicate.

  • Harry Collier says:

    Good for Monte Carlo. I am becoming tired of the idea that the western world can attack and invade anyone it fancies, but the Russians, Chinese, Iranians and Cubans had better watch out or suffer the consequences.

  • James Weiss says:

    Not a surprise as Monte Carlo is the playground of the Russian oligarchs whom Prince Albert has allowed to run wild in his tiny little fiefdom.

  • Jean says:

    And, all of a sudden, tickets are sold out …

  • Perspective says:

    You are becoming very tedious, Norman. Please post her published stance as well and not old pre-war pictures.

    And why is this news anyway?

    Pure petty hatred.

    • Tiredofitall says:

      It isn’t about an after-the-fact statement of virtue by Anna, but a history of her unfailing allegiance to the butcher Putin. PR can’t sanitize filth.

  • Peter says:

    Great news. We now enter the most important Christian holiday, a time where Jesus forgave his murderers and those who betrayed him. Now, we can’t all be like Jesus even if we want and try. If you can’t forgive Anna Netrebko you’re not a bad person, but you should realize you have a long way to go. And shut up in the meantime.

    • Tiredofitall says:

      How does one respond to such a senseless statement? You ought to send it to the cruelly murdered Ukranian children, mothers, fathers and all those yet to be slaughtered. Yes, slaughtered. We need to call it what it is. Religion be damned.

      If Anna is truly contrite, she would continue to speak out against Putin and his war. She has not.

  • L anonymous says:

    I hope this venue will reverse its poorly thought-through decision to feature netrebko and oust her just like the MetOpera did, otherwise – boycott this venue

  • Bloom says:

    Go, Anna. Maria Agresta is such a bad choice for Manon Lescaut.

  • Anthony Sayer says:

    And her crime was what, exactly? Being born in Russia and not insulting Putin to his face?

    • JS says:

      She acted as his representative (proxy) in the 2012 and 2018 elections
      (that’s official function as representatives are appointed by the party from which the candidate is running or the candidate himself) and supported the pro-Russian rebels from donbass. Not to mention numerous galas at the Kremlin palace – including her government-sponsored birthday gala where the government spokesman read out birthday wishes from Putin thanking her for her “engagement”

    • Tiredofitall says:

      Please just play attention…

  • Ms.Melody says:

    Watch and wonder: All is forgiven.
    She will be busier than ever.
    This proves that there is such thing as bad publicity.

  • Jim says:

    Hopefully no one will show up and
    Shoes will be thrown at her

  • Elle says:

    Disgusting.
    I see some other opera site which deals a lot with other russian artists which aren t paying the price for beeing pro Putin, while “poor” AN who “is against wars in general” is cancelled…interesting what interest they have in promoting her returning to opera stages; some exclusive interview? Do they think it will serve them in anyway?
    As for Monaco and La Scala- shameful.

  • Potpourri says:

    How many heads have exploded? It has been a good day. Anna is back and Ukraine took out another Putin warship. Rational people celebrate both.

    • Tiredofitall says:

      Anna is a replacement in Monte Carlo. Monte Carlo. It ain’t Paris, London, New York, or Berlin.

      • Potpourri says:

        Do I detect the scent of snobbery in the air? Don’t forget, Anna’s schedule for 2022 includes La Scala, Paris Philharmonic, Vienna Konzerthaus, Aida and Turandot at the Verona Arena, as well as concerts in several other European cities and Tosca in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

  • Cantantelirico says:

    Bartoli is loyal to her friends?

  • IP says:

    If Germany could stop stuffing Mr.P. with money and France stop selling him weapons for that same money, perhaps it would be not so terrible to let Ms. Netrebko sing her heart out, assuming that there are people prepared to pay for a ticket.

  • christian says:

    Shame on the Monte Carlo Opera and to all the other’s they will invite her soon again.
    But not surprising, almost everybody has been to the Birthday Party at the Kremlin.(Cecilia Bartoli, Michael Volle, Rolando Vilazon ect.)

  • Ms.Melody says:

    I meant that there was NO such ting as bad publicity

  • Ágnes says:

    It’s great! Good news!
    Stop this madness!

  • Cara Cara Meravigliosa says:

    I guess Parterre Box is moving to Monte Carlo.

  • leon says:

    even worse is that her hanger-on husband is singing in it as well.

  • Myles Blackadder says:

    I guess that Monaco thinks that hiring Netrebko will protect it from Putin’s retribution, even nuclear weapons and nuclear fallout. So, perhaps supporting a Putin sycophant like Netrebko may perhaps have an upside. Besides, she probably offered a deep discount to perform.

  • little blue dot says:

    There are two goals at hand. One is to pressure Russia into ending the war, hence the effort to isolate artists close to Putin. The other is to create a united Europe no longer divided by spheres of influence so that people live in unity, justice, friendship, cooperation, and prosperity. Russian artists can help us reach toward unity, a sharing and living together with our common European identity. To understand and achieve these two goals requires subtlety and a flexibility of mind that can react to situations as they arise. Anna’s visit to Monte Carlo can be approached in ways that bring positive influences for peace and justice. She is cosmopolitan. She has spoken against the war, even if belatedly, which is understandable given her circumstances. There are ways we can meet her halfway and move toward peace and justice for Ukraine, and for a Europe living in peace and cooperation.

  • Stella says:

    HOORAY. The Grimaldis obviously appreciate talent and the impeccable Russian training and discipline of its creative pool. Hope more culturally constipated western regimes follow Monte Carlo’s fine example.

  • Amanda says:

    She is one amazing opera singer. Enjoy her performance.

  • Shosh says:

    Mr. Norman, You wrote:
    “No mention is made in the announcement of the war in Ukraina”

    Your statement is not true!
    From “NewYork Times” and “Opera Wire” (14.04.2022):
    “The company’s spokesperson Christiane Ribeiro told the New York Times, “Anna Netrebko made a statement two weeks ago regarding the war and her relationship with Putin. She has taken a clear position against the war in Ukraine. As a consequence, she has been declared an ‘enemy of the homeland’ by the speaker of the Duma and a theater in Novosibirsk canceled her appearance.”
    Netrebko already has released three statements denouncing the war.
    Netrebko already has released three statements denouncing the war.
    https://operawire.com/opera-de-monte-carlo-releases-statement-on-anna-netrebkos-performances/
    https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/14/arts/music/anna-netrebko-monte-carlo.amp.htmll

    Please rewrite your article.

  • Dmitri Konnov says:

    Must boycott it. I ask people don’t bay ticket. Slava Ukraine !

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