Dozens of Ukrainians and their supporters protested outside the Royal Opera House in London on Thursday evening as Russian soprano Anna Netrebko took the stage for the company’s opening night of Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca.
Protesters carried Ukrainian flags and placards reading “While Netrebko sings, Ukraine bleeds” and “Stop glorifying Russian aggressor culture,” according to accounts from the scene. The demonstration was peaceful and took place on the pavement in front of the opera house prior to the performance.
Netrebko, one of the world’s most recognized operatic sopranos, received an award from Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2008. She has not performed in Russia since the country launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. After that invasion, New York’s Metropolitan Opera removed her from its roster; Netrebko has sued the Met, alleging she was discriminated against on the basis of gender and national origin.
Despite the controversy, Netrebko has continued to appear at major houses internationally. She made her first U.S. appearance in six years in February at a Palm Beach Opera recital. Her engagements with the Royal Opera House this season include Thursday’s Tosca, a scheduled performance in a production of Turandot in December and a recital planned for June of next year.
The Royal Opera House has faced political pressure over programming choices involving artists and international engagements. Last month a group that included British lawmakers and former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark urged the Royal Ballet and Royal Opera to cancel Netrebko’s appearances. Separately, the company abandoned plans for a run of the new production of Tosca in Tel Aviv next year after nearly 200 staff and performers objected to the transfer, citing concerns about Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza.
The demonstrations outside the opera house are part of a broader debate in the cultural sector about whether and how to engage artists from countries whose governments are accused of aggression or human-rights abuses. Venue managers, performers and artistic directors have repeatedly navigated competing calls from artists, staff, audiences and political figures while trying to sustain planned seasons and contractual obligations.
Representatives for Netrebko and the Royal Opera House did not immediately provide statements responding to the protest. The performance went ahead as scheduled.
The protest in London echoed previous actions at other European and North American venues where artists’ ties to contentious government policies have sparked public demonstrations and internal dissent within arts organizations. The debate has continued to shape programming decisions and has prompted some institutions to review engagement policies with international artists.