The Russian opera singer and Putin propagandist, Anna Netrebko, has been invited to a new production of “Tosca” at the Rome Opera.
Anna Netrebko is a symbol of Russia’s cultural influence and propaganda on the international stage and has repeatedly expressed her support for the Russian government and personally for Vladimir Putin.
Ukraine officially appealed to the Mayor of Rome and the head of the Rome Opera House to cancel Anna Netrebko’s performances at the Rome Opera.
“The aggressor uses art as a method to justify numerous war crimes, including the killing of Ukrainian civilians, massive and deliberate strikes on residential buildings, infrastructure, cultural institutions, and monuments. Cooperation with artists who are bearers of hostile narratives is unacceptable! World’s top stages are not the place for representatives of Russian culture. Attempts to aid Russia in spreading imperial narratives are an effort to diminish the horrors of war, legitimizing Russia’s crimes in Ukraine,” the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture stated.
Collaboration with artists who support such narratives is unacceptable. The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that Anna Netrebko is a bearer of Russian imperial ideology and an accomplice to Russia’s crimes, and the global community should not allow Russian propaganda to spread on international cultural stages.
Netrebko plays a significant role in promoting Russian culture abroad. Her performances and public statements are often seen as part of Russia’s “soft power” aimed at influencing public opinion and strengthening the position of Russian culture on the international stage.
However, her ties with the Russian government and support for its policies raise concerns about the use of culture as a tool for political influence. Artists like Netrebko are propaganda tools that contribute to legitimizing the actions of the Russian government on the international stage.
