(Credit: Olga Rubio Dalmau)

In anticipation of Anna Netrebko’s return to the United States, the Palm Beach Opera has announced that for the first time ever its gala is completely sold out.

In a report for the Palm Beach Daily News, General Director James Barbato said that “the gala’s 400 seats, priced at $1,500 apiece, are completely sold out. That’s the first time that’s ever happened.”

He added, “We’ve never been sold out for a gala. There is not another inch of space to put another attendee.”

The gala will mark the first time Netrebko sings in the United States since 2019. She was set to sing in 2022 in a production of “Turandot,” but the Metropolitan Opera let her go due to the War in Ukraine and her past political statements. Although Netrebko condemned the war on several occasions, it was not enough for General Manager Peter Gelb.

While the upcoming Palm Beach gala was met with condemnation from the Metropolitan Opera’s General manager, Palm Beach’s General Director Barbato said, “It’s so clear to me that there is no controversy here about Netrebko’s position on this war, or anything related to politics, truly, and so I think it is an unfortunate distraction,” he said. “But gladly, one that hasn’t really taken.”

He added, “And as part of that process, I spoke with the general director at the Vienna State Opera and at the Zurich Opera. These are places that had been bringing her back and dealt with the PR question very adeptly. And the biggest takeaways from those conversations were that they made a stand that they should not, as a policy, ask artists to make political declarations.”

He also said that the gala has been supported by colleagues in the industry.

The gala will be protested by a small group of Ukrainian activists and will be held on Feb. 3, 2025.

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