Photo: Julian Hargreaves

Anna Netrebko and Yusif Eyvazov, were scheduled to perform with the Taiwan National Symphony Orchestra on Mar. 5, 2023. However, the concert has now been canceled due to “concerns of public opinion,” as per a statement by NSO posted on their website.

NSO had earlier defended its decision to move forward with the concert, citing Netrebko’s condemnation of Russia’s war in Ukraine on three separate occasions and her being welcomed back at European houses. The Mayor of Regensburg, Germany, also supported NSO’s decision, referring to Netrebko’s statements against the war. The concert was reportedly also sold out.

However, NSO reversed course and canceled the event after the Ministry of Culture issued a statement regarding the National Performing Arts Center, which NSO is affiliated with, stating that it should handle the issue “appropriately.” The Ministry of Culture also emphasized that Taiwan’s stance on Ukraine had “no room for ambiguity.”

Korean-Ukrainian activist and influencer, Oleksander Shin, praised NSO and Taiwan for standing with Ukraine and against Russian aggression in a statement on Twitter to his 12,000 followers.

“NSO, and Taiwan once again chose to stand with Ukraine, stand firmly against Russian aggression and its perpetrators, and alleviate by all means the pain of the Ukrainian people. I am truly proud to live in this country. Thank you, Taiwan”

Netrebko’s manager Miguel Esteban told the Associated Press, “Anna was ready, willing and able to sing to her fans in Taipei (there would have been almost 2,000 in the audience) on Sunday along with her husband Yusif, their first concert there since 2016. Following discussions that began in January 2022, this invitation was formally proposed and accepted in September 2022. There has been nothing new since then in respect to Anna except for her more than two dozen exceptional performances in Vienna, Budapest, Tel Aviv, Naples, Madrid, Buenos Aires, Paris, Frankfurt, and Arezzo. It is unfortunate that someone has allowed the dissonant voices of a minority to deprive a majority from hearing one of the most beautiful operatic voices today.”