Anna Netrebko contracts Covid

[AEA AGMA SM]

Anna Netrebko is recovering in a hospital in Moscow after contracting Covid while performing at the Bolshoi. Adding in all the other outbreaks occurring throughout European companies that tried to reopen before the virus was truly contained and we have a very cautionary tale we should be paying attention to.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/17/arts/music/anna-netrebko-coronavirus-bolshoi.html

[behindthescenes2]

Exposing herself on purpose despite the warnings that she might encounter damage to her lungs and general health - she’s stupid.
Hope it was worth it.

[AEA AGMA SM]

"Ms. Netrebko used the Instagram post largely to defend her decision to go to back to work. “I had two choices,” she wrote: to “stay at home and be afraid of getting infected” or “start working, traveling around, performing at the risk of getting sick.”

“I unconditionally chose 2 and do not regret anything,” she said."

She may not regret anything, but no mention all of the other people her choices put in danger. 

It will be interesting to see the long-term case study now of just what sort of damage the virus can do to an instrument like that.

[carnzee]

This news really hit me hard. It would be a tragedy to lose her. A once in a generation talent.

[HogansHero]

she is lucky to still be able to post and tweet. Now we hold our collective breath and wait to see if she is lucky enough to recover from pneumonia with her instrument intact. 

[Jarethan]

...and IMO, if she doesn't do well in the vocal strength side, 'too bad, so sad'.  I read an article -- not the one listed above -- where she came across as pretty arrogant about the whole Covid issue.

[AEA AGMA SM]

And sadly her very cavalier attitude is far from the first problematic thing she's done. For instance, she's pushed back, and pushed back HARD, in her defense of donning blackface to sing the title role in Aida. She's had to walk back and "clarify" statements dismissing sexual abuse and assault within the classical music world. And of course her troubling pro-Putin history.

[carnzee]

AEA AGMA SM said: "And sadly her very cavalier attitude is far from the first problematic thing she's done. For instance, she's pushed back, and pushed back HARD, in her defense of donning blackface to sing the title role inAida. She's had to walk back and "clarify" statements dismissing sexual abuse and assault within the classical music world. And of course her troubling pro-Putin history."

In her defense, her pro-Putin history may be forgiven because she has family in Russia. She may feel she has to publicly support him to protect them. Of course, she may just like him, I don't know.

As far as "black face" in Aida, well she looks like someone who just got back from a spray tan. She looks more orange than anything. I read an interview a few months ago with the African American tenor Russell Thomas who feels that white opera singers darkening their features for Aida or Othello is very different from black face minstrelsy ala Al Jolson or something. At any rate, the last time Aida and Othello were done at the Met no dark make-up was used, and this seems like a good idea to me. No need to add pointless controversy, even if it is tradition. 

[George in DC]

Putin declared in June that the war on Covid had been won and the country has been reopening way too quickly. What has happened at the Bolshoi  is horrible, but what has happened at the Miriinsky Ballet is even worse. Maestro Valery Gergiev, the head of the theatre and Putins Butt Boy, is responsible for that. If anyone is still questioning why Broadway hasn't reopened, this should be a great lesson in why it can't right now.

Russian Ballet Returned to the Stage. Then a Covid Outbreak Hit.

[HogansHero]

My understanding is that her relationship with Putin is far more than one of expressing support; it seems they are "friends." 

Let's not get off track however: this is not about that. This is about the fact that she did something very very stupid, and in doing so hurt not only herself but those around her, her fans, and the many people who depend on her for their livelihoods. 

FWIW I have a co-worker who was in the hospital with pneumonia back in April. He was sent home after being stabilized. This many months later he still has a cough, has difficulty taking a full breath sometimes, uses an inhaler. And no one expects him to break into his best rendition of "D'amor sull'ali rosee."

[Dancingthrulife2]

Or she is a human being that doesn’t have to live in the same echo chamber as you and is entitled to per opinions on politics.

[HogansHero]

Dancingthrulife2 said: "Or she is a human being that doesn’t have to live in the same echo chamber as you and is entitled to per opinions on politics."

again, that's not what this is about. I am astonished by the lack of clear-headedness some people exhibit n this board day in and day out. Do you think she has the right to damage others? Because that's what you are saying. If she wants to ruin her voice, yes that is her right, just as you have the right to cut off your feet and hobble around.

[carnzee]

 

 

Dancingthrulife2 said: "Or she is a human being that doesn’t have to live in the same echo chamber as you and is entitled to per opinions on politics."

I've yet to meet anyone who thinks anyone isn't entitled to their own opinions. I don't know why people say this. It's frankly dumb. 

And I'll gladly live in the echo chamber that says " don't spread deadly diseases." 

[qolbinau]

I assume she was allowed to perform right? - and surely she must have known the risks, as did everyone around her, including her colleagues and audence members. She and they will suffer any relevant consequences - so it did indeed appear to be her and their 'right' in this context, correct me if I'm wrong. It's not like they were trying to hold some 'underground' performance in New York City against the local law lol. Whether or not it was a good decision or not I suppose is another question. 

[HogansHero]

qolbinau said: "I assume she was allowed to perform right? - and surely she must have known the risks, as did everyone around her, including her colleagues and audence members. She and they will suffer any relevant consequences - so it did indeed appear to be her and their 'right' in this context, correct me if I'm wrong. It's not like they were trying to hold some 'underground' performance in New York City against the local law lol. Whether or not it was a good decision or not I suppose is another question."

Correct. This is not about the lawfulness of what she did where she did it; it's just about the stupidity of doing it, and I suppose some understandable anger about how that stupidity may well translate into a loss of the voice that a lot of folks kinda like having around. Kinda like when great performers drink themselves to death, but without the underlying illness to explain it.

[carnzee]

She's on instagram shaking her tail and dancing around the hospital hall like she doesn't have a care in the world. Anna gotta Anna I guess.

[Tag]

And she's rewarded today with the MET announcements (Turandot & a solo concert).