Pussy Riot Cancels Concert at International May Festival Over Anna Netrebko Performance

By Francisco Salazar

The Pussy Riot has canceled its participation at the International May Festival due to the participation of Anna Netrebko.

The Russian group which is anti-Putin released a statement on Twitter stating, “We didn’t know that Anna Netrebko is also gonna participate in this particular festival. We had no idea that there is a discussion going on and that we’ve been invited to fill in the gaps instead of Ukrainian artists that refused to participate. In such circumstances, we don’t want to participate either. Therefore we canceling our show in Wiesbaden out of solidarity with Ukrainian Artists.”

The news comes a day after the festival announced its season, which had been under scrutiny for inviting Netrebko. Artistic Director Uwe Eric Laufenberg defended his decision in a press statement stating, “Ms. Netrebko has a valid contract that has been signed by all parties.”

He added, “Ms. Netrebko is not guilty of anything. There is nothing she was convicted of. There is a general hysteria that wants to attach something to her. It’s a kind of moral hysteria. If anyone who had their picture taken with Putin before February 24 was banned from performing, politics, or writing, then it would be very empty here.”

The Pussy Riots cancelation comes after musicians from the National Opera of Ukraine and actors from Kharkiv’s Taras Shevchenko Drama Theater pulled out after they had originally accepted an invitation to perform at the festival. They subsequently withdrew after the organizers declined to cancel Netrebko from the program.

Netrebko has been under scrutiny for her alleged past support of Putin. She has since condemned the war three times and has had her contracts canceled in Russia and called a traitor.

 

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