“We don’t need to sing”: Why opera singer Anna Netrebko was not allowed to earn money in Switzerland

For the sake of concerts and a well-fed life in the West in 2022 Anna Netrebko betrayed Russia. In return, she was allowed to earn money in Europe.

However, concert cancellations are becoming more common. With the wording “for political reasons.” How does the singer live now?

Why is Netrebko considered dangerous?

Opera singer Anna Netrebko is again deprived of concerts in the West. This time, her performance, which was supposed to take place on June 1 in Lucerne, Switzerland, was canceled at the request of city authorities.

The administration of the capital of the canton of the same name considered that Netrebko’s appearance at the Culture and Congress Center of Lucerne (KKL) on the eve of the so-called Peace Conference on Ukraine, which is to be held on June 15-16 in the neighboring canton of Nidwalden, could affect the security of the event.

Indeed, information about Netrebko’s concert in Lucerne also disappeared from the artist’s website. Judging by the “Poster” section, her next concerts will take place on June 25 and 28 at La Scala in Milan. In the fall, she tours in Madrid and Berlin and returns to Italy again – Switzerland is no longer on the singer’s schedule either in 2024 or 2025.

The same Culture and Congress Center in Lucerne where Anna Netrebko was supposed to perform

The cancellation of the concert is a noticeable blow to the singer’s wallet. Judging by information from local ticket offices, the cost of tickets for Netrebko started from 80 and reached 520 Swiss francs, which at the current exchange rate ranges from 8 to 52 thousand rubles.

Considering that the famous four-level KKL seats almost 2 thousand people, this performance of the opera diva could bring the organizers about 60 million rubles at the exchange rate. As the Swiss press writes, they have not yet decided what to do with the sold tickets.

This is not the first cancellation of Netrebko’s concerts that happened for political reasons, after her betrayal of Russia. Last August, representatives of local authorities also spoke out against the artist’s performance in the capital of the Czech Republic. Deputy Mayor of Prague Jiri Pospisil demanded that the organizers cancel the concert of the opera diva after consultations with representatives of the Ukrainian Embassy, ​​who opposed its holding. The unsuccessful spectators had to return their money – by the way, then the tickets were completely sold out.

The famous four-level KKL seats almost 2 thousand people; this performance of an opera diva could bring the organizers about 60 million rubles at the exchange rate

How Netrebko betrayed her homeland

Let us remember that Netrebko completely abandoned Russia for the sake of earnings and a comfortable life in the West. For this reason, back in 2022, the singer publicly repented to the West for her patriotic statements and actions in support of Donbass.

The artist, in English, categorically condemned the special military operation in Ukraine, and also announced plans to resume performances in Europe from the end of May.

Anna Netrebko’s statement

It was no coincidence that such a statement appeared: shortly before this, the Bavarian State Opera and the Metropolitan Opera in New York decided to break their contracts with the singer. Netrebko hoped that after her conviction by the SVO, employers would change their minds and she would be able to remain on the circuit of world concert venues and maintain her real estate and income in the West.

The first months of Netrebko with her husband, an Azerbaijani tenor Yusif Eyvazov — spent in complete ignorance about what would happen next: they were waiting for the reaction of the West in Dubai. However, since then, European life seems to have begun to improve again: Anna now earns money there with her husband. The Western scene, applause and luxurious life in their many homes scattered around the world outweighed national pride, belonging to the roots, the Motherland and, in general, good earnings at home.

Why Netrebko chose the West

Contrary to the opinion broadcast in our media about the patriotism and Russianness of the “Krasnodar miracle”, in reality there is not much that connects Russia and the singer – mainly earnings.

Back in 2006, the opera diva received Austrian citizenship and settled in Vienna. And in 2008 she married a Uruguayan baritone Erwin Schrottthe couple built a large house in Austria worth about 2.5 million euros with a huge kitchen and interior in a colorful eclectic style. In this marriage, Netrebko had a son, Thiago.

Anna Netrebko now speaks to fans exclusively in English about her life in the West

In 2009, for $2.5 million, the couple purchased an apartment with an area of ​​176.5 square meters on the 32nd floor of a skyscraper in Manhattan in New York. The high-rise is located between Central Park and the Hudson embankment, and now the market price of the apartments is $3.8 million. Their feature is a glass open balcony, which many guests of the star couple were simply afraid to go out on.

The marriage with a Uruguayan colleague lasted until 2013, and a year later, after performing at the Olympics in Sochi, Netrebko began an affair with the Azerbaijani tenor Yusif Eyvazov, whom she later married.

How Netrebko responds to reproaches from Russia

After her “repentance” in the West, Netrebko began to erase everything Russian from her online life: the singer’s website is in English, and posts on Instagram began to speak in it*. She once called the Russians who appeal to her conscience “fucking lizards,” and last summer she quite unequivocally stated there that she did not spend her best years in Russia.

On the singer’s website, the Russian language is also no longer in demand.

It seems that the times when Netrebko helped the Donetsk Opera House are forever gone. However, the singer’s European future is also not entirely clear.