Russian opera star returns to “La Scala” in Milan

The concert of Russian opera singer Anna Netrebko was held at the La Scala Theater in Milan for the first time after the start of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.

And ANSA reported that the international Russian opera star Anna Netrebko returned to the “La Scala” theater in Milan, where she held a concert on Friday evening with the performance of her songs and compositions of Russian musicians.

The agency said that the audience received the singer warmly, and recalled that Netrebko began singing in Milan in 1998 and participated several times in the operas in which the La Scala Theater opened its seasons, including the 2021 season.

In March 2022, Netrebko announced that it would temporarily stop performing, and also refused to perform at the “La Scala” theater in Milan.

However, the theater administration, which removed the famous Russian conductor, Valery Gergiev, from leading the orchestra for his position in support of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, took an understanding position for the star’s choice, and said that she was waiting for her return.

While Netrebko has stated on social networks that she wishes for a speedy peace in Ukraine, she does not consider it possible to force artists to express their political views publicly. After that, the Metropolitan Opera Theater in New York canceled the agreement signed with it. As for Ukraine, it proposed imposing sanctions on it.