Ukraine's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, has publicly accused the Royal Opera House of a "betrayal" for inviting Russian soprano Anna Netrebko to open its season in London, describing her appearance as "a test" by President Vladimir Putin.
In an article published in the Daily Mail, Zaluzhnyi — the former commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces who is known as the "Iron General" — urged Britain not to allow "art as a curtain to hide [Putin's] crimes," saying Netrebko's presence on a world stage would be read by the Kremlin as a sign of normalisation. The performance is scheduled for Thursday at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, where Netrebko is due to sing the title role in Puccini's Tosca.
Zaluzhnyi, who assumed his diplomatic post in London in July last year and has largely avoided media interviews since, said he had raised the matter with Royal Opera House chief executive Alex Beard and had written to the Foreign Office and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. He wrote that the Kremlin "pays close attention to such signals" and warned that applauding Netrebko would allow Russia to present itself as culturally legitimate despite the war.
More than 200 Ukrainian organisations have written to the Royal Opera House to oppose the engagement, according to the Daily Mail, and Ukrainian activists have planned protests outside the theatre. An official quoted by the paper said Zaluzhnyi was "incredibly disappointed" with both the Labour government and the Royal Opera House, and that approaches to ministers and cultural institutions had been rebuffed. The UK government has said it will not intervene in programming decisions made by arts organisations.
The Royal Opera House invited Netrebko back to Covent Garden for the first time in six years to open the autumn season. In a statement, chief executive Alex Beard said the organisation's support for Ukraine "was aligned with the global consensus at the time" and that "as the world's geopolitics have become more complex, our stance has changed to ensure that our actions reflect our purpose and values." A Royal Opera House spokesman added that the company has "always been a place for audiences to experience the best talent from around the world" and that decisions about performers are made with "great care and thoughtful consideration."
Netrebko's relationship with the Kremlin and with Putin in particular has been criticised since Russia's first major incursions into Ukraine in 2014. She visited occupied parts of eastern Ukraine that year, publicly waved a pro-Russian separatist flag and donated money to a theatre in Donetsk, actions that drew condemnation from Ukrainian officials and activists. Netrebko later relocated to Austria and said she dropped her Russian passport. In 2022 she published a brief statement opposing the Russian invasion, saying she was "opposed to this senseless war of aggression," but she has not publicly criticised Putin by name and has argued that artists should not be compelled to take political stances to pursue their careers.
In 2022 the Metropolitan Opera in New York severed ties with Netrebko; she sued the company for breach of contract and defamation. A US federal judge initially dismissed most of her claims, but in July of this year a judge allowed parts of the case alleging gender and national-origin discrimination to proceed.
Ukrainian activists quoted by the Daily Mail described the timing of the performance as painful and inappropriate while hostilities continue. Olena Ivashchenko, chief executive of Campaign for Ukraine, said it was "heartbreaking" that London would "roll out the red carpet for Netrebko" while Russian forces continued to bomb Ukrainian cultural and civilian sites. Natalia Ravlyuk, head of Support Ukraine, said the invitation felt "so wrong" given ongoing attacks on towns and infrastructure across the country.
The dispute over Netrebko's engagement at the Royal Opera House comes amid continued Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. The Daily Mail noted recent attacks on residential areas and cultural institutions in Ukraine as part of the broader context prompting the protests and criticism.
The Royal Opera House receives public funding from bodies including the Arts Council and the National Lottery. The government has reiterated that programming choices are for cultural organisations to make and said it will not intervene. Zaluzhnyi's public intervention represents a rare, high-profile diplomatic appeal from a Ukrainian official in London and underscores the sensitivity of cultural ties amid the ongoing conflict.
Netrebko's representatives were contacted for comment, the Daily Mail reported.