Russian soprano Anna Netrebko, who was a trusted ally of Vladimir Putin during the presidential elections in Russia, will perform at the London Royal Opera House.
According to AFP, Netrebko will be part of Puccini's "Tosca" slated to be unveiled in September 2025, marking her return to the London theater stage for the first time in six years.
The new musical director of the Royal Opera House, Jakub Hrůša, said that he invited Netrebko to London because the opera house should be "connected with the best singers."
“She condemned the war, and I have no reason not to take her statement seriously,” Hrůša said.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Netrebko faced a boycott of her concerts in the West. About a month later, she publicly condemned the war and stated that she had met with Putin only a few times in her life.
An Austrian citizen and resident, Netrebko supported Vladimir Putin during the presidential elections. She was also photographed with the flag and representatives of pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine and donated a million rubles to traitor and collaborator Oleg Tsarev.
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