The Washington Post reported that Russian soprano Anna Netrebko has sued the Metropolitan Opera and its general manager on Aug. 4, alleging discrimination when they dropped her after Russia invaded Ukraine. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, includes claims of national-origin discrimination, breach of contract and defamation. Netrebko is asking for at least $360,000 in damages, citing lost performance and rehearsal fees.
The Met severed its relationship with Netrebko in March 2022. General manager Peter Gelb said at the time she “is one of the greatest singers in Met history, but with Putin killing innocent victims in Ukraine, there was no way forward.” Netrebko had made several statements opposing the war and violence, but, according to her suit, she would not submit to Gelb’s request that she specifically condemn Putin.
Netrebko’s management told the Post: “Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Met and Peter Gelb have used Anna Netrebko as a scapegoat in their campaign to distance themselves from Russia and to support Ukraine.” The Met’s press office said: “Ms. Netrebko’s lawsuit has no merit.”
Julie Ulmet, Netrebko’s lawyer, said the singer decided to file suit after a labor arbitrator ordered the Met to pay her more than $200,000 this year for 13 performances in which she would have starred. The arbitrator left open “whether the Met’s termination of certain other contracts violated state law.” The suit cites agreements Netrebko and the Met had made for performances through the 2025-26 season, including productions of Tosca and Macbeth. The Met told Netrebko in 2022 it was canceling “all holds for future seasons” in addition to her 2023-24 contracts, per her lawsuit.
