Soprano Anna Netrebko is scheduled to give a recital at the Palm Beach Opera for its gala on Feb. 3 in what would be her first U.S. appearance in six years.
Considered the world鈥檚 top soprano, Netrebko was after she refused a demand by Met general manager Peter Gelb that she repudiate Russia President President Vladimir Putin following Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine. She has , alleging defamation and breach of contract in a case that is pending.
鈥淎rts organizations should not be involved in politics,鈥 Palm Beach Opera general director James Barbato said in a telephone interview Wednesday. 鈥淚n 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.鈥
Netrebko has appeared in the past two years at major houses including the Vienna State Opera, Paris Op茅ra, and Berlin鈥檚 Staatsoper unter den Linden but had not been engaged in the U.S. or by The Royal Opera in London. She last appeared at the Met in 2019 in Verdi鈥檚 鈥淢acbeth鈥 and a New Year's Eve gala.
Netrebko will perform with pianist 脕ngel Rodr铆guez at the The Breakers hotel.
鈥淚 am honored to be lending my voice to the Palm Beach Opera鈥檚 annual gala,鈥 Netrebko said in a statement Wednesday sent to The Associated Press.
Barbato said he began discussions with Netrebko's manager in January.
鈥淚t was, a rare opportunity to present, an electrifying performer with one of the most beautiful voices of our lifetimes,鈥 he said.
Palm Beach Opera鈥檚 season includes three performances each of Gounod's "Rom茅o et Juliette" in January, Verdi鈥檚 鈥淟a Traviata鈥 in February and Mozart鈥檚 鈥淟e Nozze di Figaro鈥 in April. Casts have not been announced.
Past Palm Beach Opera galas featured Luciano Pavarotti, Pl谩cido Domingo, Jos茅 Carreras, Ren茅e Fleming and Bryn Terfel, with Isabel Leonard (2024), Piotr Beczala (2023) and Nadine Sierra (2022) appearing in recent years.
鈥淚t means a lot to me to be joining the remarkable list of illustrious singers that have participated in this celebration over the last decades,鈥 Netrebko said.
