Soprano Anna Netrebko to Make Her First U.S. Appearance in 6 Years

Palm Beach Opera general director James Barbato said that "arts organizations should not be involved in politics"

Russian-Austrian soprano Anna Netrebko, who lost a great deal of work in the Western world following her refusal to denounce Vladimir Putin, is set to make her first U.S. appearance in six years. She will sing at a gala concert for Palm Beach Opera on February 3, 2025.

In 2022, Netrebko's engagements were terminated at the Metropolitan Opera after its general manager Peter Gelb said that the company would not work with artists who were associated with Putin. More recently, she has sued the Met over claims of discrimination, defamation, and breach of contract.

Since that time, Netrebko has been invited to sing at the Vienna State Opera, Paris Opéra, Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, and Berlin’s Staatsoper unter den Linden — but not at any houses in the United Kingdom or America.

Netrebko will appear at The Breakers Hotel alongside pianist Ángel Rodríguez.

Singers who have appeared at Palm Beach Opera galas in the past include Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, Renée Fleming, and Bryn Terfel, with Isabel Leonard (2024), Piotr Beczala (2023) and Nadine Sierra (2022) being chosen to sing in recent years.

"Arts organizations should not be involved in politics," Palm Beach Opera general director James Barbato told AP News. "In our opinion our mission is to connect people to explore what’s universal in our humanity and Anna Netrebko has clearly and unequivocally spoken out in opposition to the war in Ukraine and distanced herself from the Russian government at great personal cost."

"I am honored to be lending my voice to the Palm Beach Opera’s annual gala," Netrebko said. "It means a lot to me to be joining the remarkable list of illustrious singers that have participated in this celebration over the last decades."