Anna Netrebko has announced her decision to temporarily suspend her artistic activity and give up forthcoming engagements.
This is not the time for me to make music and to go on stage. I have therefore decided for the time being to take a step back from my artistic commitments.
La Scala communicated her decision in a press release this afternoon. She was due to sing in Adriana Lecouvreur at the theatre from 9 March.
This is an extremely difficult decision for me, but I know that my audience will understand and respect it.
The production opens on 4 March with Freddie De Tommaso as Maurizio, making his house debut – in the second cast is Netrebko's husband, Yusif Eyvazov. The first night cast also features Maria Agresta as Adriana and Anita Rachvelishvili as the Princess de Bouillon. Giampaolo Bisanti conducts, and the staging is by David McVicar
Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.
His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.
