allegations of discrimination
Soprano Anna Netrebko is suing opera in New York
Opera singer Anna Netrebko feels discriminated against.
© Steve Vas / Featureflash 2015/ImageCollect
Opera singer Anna Netrebko demands high compensation from the New York Metropolitan Opera. She feels discriminated against.
The world-famous Russian-Austrian opera singer Anna Netrebko (51) is apparently taking legal action against the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She accuses the operators around boss Peter Gelb of discrimination, as among other things the US “Washington Post” reports. According to the accusation, her engagement there was terminated after her home country’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
According to the documents that are said to have been submitted to the competent court, she therefore feels discriminated against and defamed because of her nationality. Furthermore, the decision was a breach of contract. According to the report, she is therefore demanding a payment of 360,000 US dollars (about 326,000 euros) as compensation.
A statement from Netrebko’s management to The Washington Post said: “Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Met and Peter Gelb have used Anna Netrebko as a scapegoat in their campaign to distance themselves from Russia and support Ukraine.” The legal counsel for the other side is meanwhile of the opinion that Netrebko’s legal action will have no chance of success.
There were also consequences in Germany
It wasn’t the only engagement the star lost after the start of the Ukraine war. The Berlin State Opera also ended the collaboration. The Bavarian State Opera had meanwhile accused Netrebko of “lacking sufficient distancing” from the Russian government.
Only later did she make up for this in a statement with clear words: “I expressly condemn the war against Ukraine and my thoughts are with the victims of this war and their families,” she said at the time through her lawyer. “I am not a member of any political party, nor am I affiliated with any leader in Russia.”