The New York Times is reporting that Piotr Beczala and Anna Netrebko’s relationship is currently strained.

In a recent interview, the NY Times said “the relationship between Beczala and Netrebko, once his friend and frequent collaborator, has become strained since Russia invaded Ukraine last year.”

The tenor added that Netrebko did not do enough to oppose the war and distance herself from Putin. He said, “I like Anna really as an artist and a colleague but she made mistakes.”

Beczala and Netrebko’s performances at the Met date back to 2009 when they performed in “Lucia di Lammermoor” and went on to perform in productions of “Adriana Lecouvreur,” “La Boheme,” and “Manon.” He also performed in productions of “Iolanta” and “Eugene Onegin.” Both productions were infamously protested due to Netrebko’s alleged closeness to Putin. The two productions were conducted by Putin supporter Valery Gergiev. At the time Beczala said nothing regarding the protests.

At the beginning of the war, Beczala condemned the war and said, “I am not a politician and I have no influence on political decisions. But I am an artist and I can use my voice to express my opposition to the war that takes place just across the border of my beloved motherland. ”

Netrebko herself has condemned the war on three occasions and has been called a traitor in Russia. The soprano has also not returned to Russia nor performed in the country since the war began.