Political Leaders Consider Canceling Anna Netrebko’s Prague Concert

Political authorities in Prague are considering banning a concert by Anna Netrebko set to take place in the city in October.

In a statement, Jiří Pospíšil, deputy mayor of Prague, said, “We will look for a way to end the concert.” He added that Netrebko’s concert was discussed with colleagues on Monday at the coalition council, and according to him, everyone present had the same opinion on the matter.

According to news outlets in Prague, Pospíšil discussed the matter with the Czech government representative for Ukraine last week and noted that he would visit the  Ukrainian embassy. The Deputy mayor also argued that Netrebko was placed on the Ukrainian sanctions list following Russia’s invasion of the country. Previously, Pospíšil’s boss Vlastimil Ježek said he did not see any obstacle to the realization of the concert.

However, the agency Nachtigall Artists agency, which is managing the concert noted that the concert is eighty percent sold out. Producer, Alena Kunertová said that she does not understand the considered political intervention and pointed to Netrebko’s statement condemning the war and distancing herself from Putin.

She said, “I had the feeling that I had already explained it to everyone.” She noted that while Netrebko appeared next to the Russian president several times in the past does not mean that she is his “super supporter.”

Additionally, Kunertová noted that there was already confirmation from the chairman of the board of the Municipal House (Vlastimil Ježek) and if it was to be canceled, the agency and Netrebko would request compensation.

The Czech concert would be the fifth time Netrebko appears in the country. She previously sang in 2012, 2015, 2018, and 2021. The soprano, who has faced pushback over the past year for her previous “support of Putin” has condemned the war and was banned from performing in Russian institutions.

Source: https://operawire.com/