Soprano Anna Netrebko is set to perform at the Palm Beach Opera’s gala on Feb. 3, marking her first U.S. appearance in six years. Widely regarded as one of the top sopranos in the world, Netrebko was let go by the Metropolitan Opera in 2022 after she declined to denounce Russian President Vladimir Putin in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Netrebko has taken legal action against the Met, citing defamation and breach of contract.
Since parting ways with the Met, Netrebko has sung at prestigious venues such as the Vienna State Opera, Paris Opéra, Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, and Berlin’s Staatsoper unter den Linden. However, she had not been booked in the U.S. or by The Royal Opera in London. Her last performance at the Met was in Verdi’s “Macbeth” in 2019. For the upcoming gala, Netrebko will be accompanied by pianist Ángel Rodríguez at The Breakers hotel.
In a statement shared with The Associated Press, Netrebko expressed her excitement about participating in the Palm Beach Opera’s annual gala, stating, “I am honored to be lending my voice to the Palm Beach Opera’s annual gala.” The Palm Beach Opera’s season comprises productions of Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette” in January, Verdi’s “La Traviata” in February, and Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” in April, with casts yet to be announced.
Over the years, the Palm Beach Opera gala has featured esteemed performers like Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, Renée Fleming, and Bryn Terfel. Recent editions saw Isabel Leonard (2024), Piotr Beczala (2023), and Nadine Sierra (2022) as guest artists. Netrebko expressed her gratitude at being included among such distinguished singers, saying, “It means a lot to me to be joining the remarkable list of illustrious singers that have participated in this celebration over the last decades.”
