Anna Netrebko City and country openly argue about the singer

Anna Netrebko, an Austrian citizen who, of course, still possesses her Russian passport, is now once more permitted to perform her music without interference. She currently enjoys a largely uncontested performance as Aida in Verdi's opera at the Vienna State Opera.

However, in Germany, things are still difficult for the former Putin admirer who, under pressure from the public, only grudgingly distanced herself from him after his aggression in the Ukraine. Performances were moved to her new home at the Berlin and Bavarian State Operas, which were formerly their parent companies.

She went on a concert tour with her husband Yusif Eyvazov, which was only postponed due to the controversies surrounding her. In order to justify their actions, the directors of the houses claimed that the concerts were rented out to other parties and that any agreements already in place were enforceable.

Uwe Eric Laufenberg, the artistic director of Wiesbaden, has announced a new contract with Anna Netrebko. Netrebko now wants to make up for her role debut as Abigaile in Verdi's "Nabucco," which was postponed in New York due to Corona 2021, on May 5th and 7th at the beginning of the May Festival. That, in turn, is not at all acceptable to the city and state of Hesse, who are the state theater's major sponsors.

Particularly considering that Laufenberg dedicates the May Festival to "all political prisoners in this world," by which he also refers to Alexey Navalny, a critic of the regime. "This behavior is extremely insensitive," the city and state say in a joint press release regarding Netrebko, who Ukraine has designated as an "undesirable person." "How is it possible that two Ukrainian ensembles, Taras Shevchenko Theater from Kharkiv and the National Orchestra of Ukraine, will be performing at the same festival?".

A number of other agreements have put the nation in a bind with Laufenberg, so they did not want to extend his contract past 2024. His own departure was a preemptive move against this.

A tit for tat could now be used to describe Netrebko's dedication. The city and state now complained in their statement that their request for the director to omit Netrebko was "unfortunately unsuccessful;" however, they do not want to terminate the contract they have already signed because doing so would violate artistic freedom.

Boris Rhein, the CDU-affiliated premier of Hesse, has decided to renounce his sponsorship of the May Festival, according to State Chancellery Head Axel Wintermeyer (CDU): "It is crystal clear that we support Ukraine. The head of the culture department, Axel Imholz, and the Lord Mayor of Wiesbaden, Gert-Uwe Mende (both SPD), both expressed displeasure that "no agreement could be reached with the director on this sensitive issue.

The city is likely to postpone its own "representative events" at the May Festival, as the state government has already announced.

Netrebko now wants to make up for her role debut as Abigaile in Verdi's "Nabucco," which was postponed in New York due to Corona 2021, on May 5th and 7th at the beginning of the May Festival.