World renowned Russian soprano Anna Netrebko is scheduled to take part in the Sept. 15 premiere of Verdi’s Macbeth at the Berlin State Opera. Unsurprisingly, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has denounced the opera house for its decision. In a Facebook post, the ministry complained: “The voice of Ukraine in Germany should be heard louder than the soprano Anna Netrebko,” and also said that their efforts to prevent Netrebko’s performances in Berlin were “not met with the proper response.”
According to RT, Ukraine intends to protest her appearance by sending Ambassador Oleksiy Makeev to the anti-Russian exhibit, “Russian War Crimes,” set up next door to the opera house, accompanied by the City-State of Berlin’s Minister for Culture [and tenor] Joseph Chialo, the Ukraine Foreign Ministry. Makeev has also published an op-ed denouncing Netrebko in several German outlets.
