Protesters Rally Outside Royal Opera House Over “Putin’s Diva” Anna Netrebko’s Comeback

Dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the Royal Opera House in London on the opening night of Tosca to protest the performance of Russian soprano Anna Netrebko, often dubbed “Putin’s diva,” The Guardian reported on September 12.

Netrebko, one of the most prominent opera singers worldwide, has faced backlash since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Although she issued a statement condemning the war, she was dropped by many leading opera houses and continues to spark controversy over her past ties to the Kremlin.

According to The Guardian, on the first night of Tosca, around 50 people rallied outside the venue. Many carried Ukrainian symbols and banners. Natalia Filatova, 48, draped in a Ukrainian flag, said the decision to host Netrebko “damaged the image of the Royal Opera.”

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“I used to love the Royal Opera House and everything that they did but the decision is a disgrace. There are so many great opera singers, it doesn’t have to be a question. I think it’s a disgrace?” she told The Guardian.

Another protester, Oleksandra Vietrova, 43, held a sign reading “Behind the curtain, blood and tanks.” She said polite dialogue had brought no results, making public protest necessary.

The protest follows a broader campaign, The Guardian reported. Last month, over 50 Ukrainian writers and artists, a cross-party group of British MPs, and former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark called on the Royal Ballet and Opera to drop Netrebko. In their letter, they described her as “a longtime symbol of cultural propaganda for a regime responsible for war crimes,” urging the institution to “choose responsibility over status, values over profit, conscience over silence.”

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The Royal Opera House defended its decision, calling itself a “singer’s house” with a duty to showcase the world’s leading talents. It stressed that Netrebko has condemned Russia’s invasion. Her manager, Miguel Esteban, added that she had “never shown support for Russian separatists”, had condemned the war on multiple occasions, and had not returned to Russia since February 2022.

Netrebko, an Austrian citizen since 2006, has long been a vocal supporter of Vladimir Putin, serving as a trusted figure during his elections and receiving state honors. In 2014, she publicly backed the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics and was photographed holding a flag linked to the so-called “Novorossiya.”  In January 2023, she was placed on Ukraine’s sanctions list.

Earlier, over 50 Ukrainian writers and artists, a cross-party group of UK MPs, and a former New Zealand prime minister urged the Royal Ballet and Opera to drop Russian soprano Anna Netrebko from its upcoming London season.

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