Met Opera's confrontation with Russian soprano advances
In a significant development, Russian soprano Anna Netrebko is permitted to proceed with her federal lawsuit against the Metropolitan Opera, claiming national origin discrimination and gender discrimination. The case was reinstated by U.S. District Judge Analisa Nadine Torres in Manhattan in late July 2025, and a trial date has not yet been set [1][2][4].
The timeline of the case is as follows:
- In February 2022, soon after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Met General Manager Peter Gelb demanded that Netrebko publicly repudiate Putin.
- Netrebko refused, and the Metropolitan Opera withdrew her from three productions, replacing her with Ukrainian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska in at least one.
- Last August (2024), a judge initially dismissed Netrebko’s national origin discrimination claim, along with defamation and breach of contract allegations.
- In July 2025, Judge Torres reversed that decision regarding national origin discrimination, recognizing that Netrebko’s replacement by non-Russian artists gives rise to an inference of discrimination, allowing that claim to proceed [1][2].
- The judge also acknowledged a gender discrimination claim based on Netrebko’s allegation that male Russian singers with ties to Putin received more favorable treatment at the Met, including performing at politically connected events [3].
The Metropolitan Opera expressed confidence that Netrebko’s claims would ultimately not succeed but has not commented extensively on the pending case [2]. However, examples of male counterparts who have continued to sing at the Met include bass-baritone Evgeny Nikitin, baritones Igor Golovatenko, and Alexey Markov.
The American Guild of Musical Artists filed a grievance on Netrebko's behalf, and arbitrator Howard C. Edelman ruled that the Met violated the union's collective bargaining agreement [5]. This decision further strengthens Netrebko's case against the Metropolitan Opera.
The proceedings reflect complex questions about artistic freedom, political pressure, and discrimination law in the context of geopolitics affecting cultural institutions [1][2][3]. As the case progresses, it will be interesting to see how these issues are addressed and resolved.
References: [1] Associated Press. (2025, July 29). Judge allows Russian soprano to proceed with lawsuit against Met. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-culture-new-york-russia-lawsuits-49a5c3c3e8e7b5455f3d633094a164d7
[2] Weiss, J. (2025, July 29). Judge revives Russian soprano Anna Netrebko's lawsuit against the Metropolitan Opera. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/29/arts/music/anna-netrebko-metropolitan-opera-lawsuit.html
[3] Wise, L. (2025, July 29). Judge allows Russian soprano Anna Netrebko to proceed with gender discrimination claim against Met. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/judge-allows-russian-soprano-anna-netrebko-proceed-gender-discrimination-claim-2025-07-29/
[4] The Hollywood Reporter. (2025, July 29). Anna Netrebko's Lawsuit Against the Metropolitan Opera Moves Forward. The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/anna-netrebko-lawsuit-against-metropolitan-opera-moves-forward-1235114215/
[5] American Guild of Musical Artists. (2024, August 18). AGMA Files Grievance on Behalf of Anna Netrebko. American Guild of Musical Artists. https://www.agma.org/news/agma-files-grievance-behalf-anna-netrebko
Celebrities, such as Russian soprano Anna Netrebko, continue to face human rights issues in their push for justice, as seen in her ongoing lawsuit against the Metropolitan Opera. This case, entwined with geopolitics and cultural institutions, also involves questions of artistic freedom, discrimination, and political pressure, as exhibited by the reversal of a previous dismissal of her national origin and gender discrimination claims.
