Renowned Russian soprano Anna Netrebko has been let go from the Met Opera. Not because she’s Russian, but because she’s refused to distance herself from Vladimir Putin.
I’ve always been a huge fan of Netrebko, and not merely for her singing, and this dismays me. But it’s the right decision. How can she not stand against Putin?
She wants to be able to live without getting poisoned? She wants to be able to go home without getting jailed? She doesn’t want her family back in Russia to be targeted?
I know nothing about her but are these not possibilities?
In 2014, Netrebko made a large donation to an opera house in Donetsk, a city in Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists, according to a report by the New York Times. After she made the donation, she was pictured holding a Novorossiyan flag, which is used by separatist groups.
Fuck her.
Stranger
That’s what this line made me think:
Netrebko had issued statements critical of the war, but has not publicly commented on Putin.
Of course, she’s Russian, but is she living in Russia? Sure, Putin can poison outside of Russia, but he reserves that for the biggest names. And he’s a bit busy right now.
Still, it can be hard to deprogram yourself. For example, a lot of people involved in a cult still wind up believing that their leader was a good man who didn’t know, even when all the evidence is to the contrary. I’d say it’s still enough that they left.
So then, has she left Russia?
She has apartments in NYC and Vienna.
She’s not the only one:
Yeah - I got no problem with the idea that you pick your team, you incur the consequences.
Not sure why any of these top-level artists would be precluded from renouncing their country of origin - even tho that might result in their needing to give up their freedom to return home and enjoy some of the benefits they undoubtedly incur from their country. I’m not a big fan of “my country/leader right or wrong.”
If their art is sufficiently important to them, they can pursue it without having to declare allegiance to a reprehensible regime. If their nationality is sufficiently important, well, Russia is a big country. I’m sure there are plenty of venues to sing and conduct at. Unfortunate that they have to make a choice and can’t just have the best of both worlds, but at least they are fortunate WRT their ability to make such a choice (unlike your average Joe in Ukraine, Russia, or even US), and the relatively preferred position they will enjoy no matter which choice they make.
It needs to be said: sometimes, “cancel culture” is a beautiful, moral, laudable, and perfectly appropriate thing.
I"ve always preferred Senator Schurz’s variant:
Yeah, he got his ass canned.
Yep! 
Not a cafe society thing, but in a similar vein: What are the Capitals going to do with Ovechkin? He’s their best player but an outspoken supporter of Putin.
Thread over in the Game Room:
(We have to be careful to keep high culture thread topics separate from bruising physical low-brow activities. {{cultured shudder}}