During the Wiener Staatsoper’s press conference for its 2022-23 season, General Director Bogdan Roscic said he was not interested in banning Russian artists over the war in Ukraine.

The General Director said that he believed that the audience was not interested in the conversation and added that the conversation was only being had with a small group of people stuck in a “bubble.”

In the discussion, the General Director said he was not banning soprano Anna Netrebko from the theater. According to Roscic, her name was taken off the program when the programs were printed because the situation was still too confusing. However, he noted that Netrebko still has a valid contract to sing a revival of “Aida” especially after she positioned herself against the war.

He added, “I personally do not believe that Ms. Netrebko should be banned from working in the country of which she is a citizen.” 

He ended his remarks by pointing out that state theaters are not contracting artists who are in favor of the war but also added, that “it’s not up to us to ask people to speak out” about the war.