Actually, star soprano Anna Netrebko would have performed as Lady Macbeth at the Zurich Opera House on Tuesday evening. After the Russian invasion, the star singer was criticized. Because Netrebko (50) is known as a Putin friend. At the beginning of March, the opera house decides together with Netrebko that no cooperation is possible at the moment.
That’s why Veronika Dzhioewa (43) steps in for Netrebko, a soprano of Russian origin. The opera house engaged her several years ago for the role of Lady Macbeth. The soprano has now been employed at the Zurich Opera House for two years. But now there are criticisms that the 43-year-old singer is also a Putin friend – like Anna Netrebko.
The singer was criticized by Yevgeniy Protsyuk, President of the Ukrainian Association of Central and Eastern Switzerland. He really appreciates that the opera house “replaced the soprano Netrebko, close to Putin,” “at short notice,” he says to Blick. But they are not satisfied with Veronika Dzhioewa stepping in.
The opera house knows about photos with Putin
“Countless photos and videos show her with the war criminal Putin and other Russian oligarchs, even after the annexation of Crimea, as well as performances on the occupied Crimea peninsula,” says Protsyuk. He supports his arguments with photos in which Dzhieova poses with Putin after a concert. So far there has been no public statement by the singer against the war and against Putin – Protsyuk also criticizes this.
The Opera House is aware of photos in which the singer poses with Vladimir Putin. That’s why you wanted to talk to the singer. “The artist assured us that it was a random and unplanned recording on the sidelines of a concert five years ago, where the Russian ruler was a guest,” says spokeswoman Bettina Auge.
But why hasn’t the opera house communicated this proactively? When asked by Blick, it said: “Not everyone feels capable of publishing public statements against the totalitarian ruler Putin, because such a statement could cause considerable damage to the person himself or his relatives, friends and work colleagues in Russia.”
In plain language, this means that Dzhioewa does not currently dare to publicly oppose Putin. And the opera house sees no problem with the performance. So this is happening as planned. On Tuesday and Friday Dzhioewa will be back in the role of Lady Macbeth on the stage of the Zurich Opera House.