After canceling her recent performances at the Paris Opera, Aigul Akhmetshina is responding to the criticism she received.

The mezzo said, “Thank you for your attention to my – it means you care. But I kindly ask that before jumping to conclusions, we all remember there’s often so much more to a story than what’s visible from the outside. I completely understand the frustration of fans- I truly do. Normally, I stay silent and don’t respond to negativity. But this time, I feel it’s important to stand up for myself and share a bit of the reality behind the scenes.”

She added, “In this profession, we sign contracts years in advance, hoping everything aligns. But sometimes, life throws unexpected challenges our way – visas, illnesses, strikes, travel issues.  Yes, we share the glamour and beauty of the stage on social media – but not always the stress, the bureaucracy, the pressure, and the heartbreak when things go wrong.”

“My contracts with both Paris and Verona were signed a long time ago, and everything was carefully planned: I meant to sing the first two Barbiere shows in Paris, fly to Verona for Carme, then return for the final Paris performance – without compromising or disappointing anyone. But reality had other plans. My visa was delayed, and I only received it yesterday. That allowed me just in time to make it to Verona.”

She added that she would have found it unfair to her colleagues to step into a production in Paris without rehearsal and noted that in Europe, travel has been challenging as of late due to strikes.

Akhmetsthina concluded her statement by asking her fans to take a moment to consider artists as humans before judging and coming to conclusions.

The mezzo opened “Carmen” in Verona on July 4 and is set to take on four performances through September at the famed Arena.