No Stage for putin’s Supporter

Date: 06.10.2024

When: from 17:00 o’clock

Where: Staatsoper Unter den Linden

For some inexplicable reason, the Berlin State Opera is once again inviting a cynical supporter of putin to its stage.

We cannot allow Anna Netrebko, who supported the russian occupation of Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk regions in 2014 and did not acknowledge her mistakes, to perform without objection.

Anna Netrebko is an example of soft-power politics, where russia uses culture to spread disinformation and doubts into the European discourse. She has not clearly distanced herself from her long-standing support of the russian president. By publicly supporting putin, she legitimized the occupation of Ukrainian territories since 2014 and contributed to the escalation of the situation, leading to the full-scale war. In her statement against the russian war in Ukraine, she didn’t even mention the aggressor and instead focused on her love for russia.

When we asked for a reconsideration of the decision to allow Netrebko to perform at the Berlin Opera, the main director responded that Netrebko is “an outstanding artist, who — due to her status — should serve as an example.” We agree that as a renowned public figure, Netrebko bears an even greater responsibility. Her actions and words should set an example for others. Currently, she demonstrates how to avoid responsibility while openly promoting russia.

We invite everyone to join the demonstration in front of the State Opera on Unter den Linden on 06.10 at 17:00. We must show that the tolerance of russian imperialism in the heart of Berlin, in the third year of the full-scale war, is unacceptable.