A few hundred demonstrators gathered in front of the Unter den Linden State Opera on Friday evening before the performance of Verdi’s Macbeth. They protested against Anna Netrebko’s performance. The demonstrators demanded that European and German cultural institutions stop collaborating with Russian cultural institutions.
They repeatedly chanted “Shame!” and slogans against Russia. They showed Anna Netrebko in a blood-stained dress. One poster showed a photo montage of director Matthias Schulz, Vladimir Putin and Anna Netrebko. The demonstrators accused the opera visitors of participating and shouted “Shame!” at them as they entered the opera. The event was peaceful until the performance began.
A few hundred people demonstrated against Anna Netrebko’s performance on Friday evening.Michael Maier
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During the performance there were repeated storms of applause after Netrebko’s arias. The shouts of Bravo were also mixed with boos. During the break, the demonstrators shouted at the visitors as they left the opera. They shouted “Shame!”, “No stage for Russian propaganda!” and “Russia is a terrorist state!” much more aggressively than at the beginning. They also shouted to the audience: “Where is your conscience? You’re having fun while the Russians are killing our people.”
At the end of the performance, however, there was a triumph for Netrebko, who delivered a world-class artistic performance. Minutes of unanimous standing ovation for the singer, great enthusiasm for everyone involved. The State Opera and the brilliant Staatskapelle delivered a production of outstanding quality.
The demonstrators during the break in the performance in front of the State OperaMichael Maier