The New York “Metropolitan Opera” will have to pay 200 thousand dollars in compensation to the great Russian singer Anna Netrebko for refusing to let her on its stage in 2021. This was reported by Opera Wire, citing arbitrator Howard K. Edelman.
The decision was made in February and states that the opera must pay the singer for 13 canceled performances in 2021 and the following season. This came after the director of the opera, Peter Gelb, decided to remove from performances all artists who support and are supported by Putin.
Thus, Anna Netrebko did not appear in performances of “Don Carlos”, as well as “Force of Fate” and “Andre Chenier” in the following season, regardless of the previously signed contract.
According to arbitrator Howard K. Edelman. the contractual arrangement known as “pay or play” requires institutions to pay the contractors they have contracted with, even if they later decide not to engage them.
Netrebko initially sought compensation of $400,000 in royalties for engagements in subsequent seasons that were only discussed but not formally agreed upon, such as leading roles in Puccini’s Manon Lescaut and Tosca, as well as Macbeth in Verdi and Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades.
Sam Wheeler, executive director of the Music Artists Guild of America, the union that represents Netrebko, praised the ruling, saying it would help protect the rights of artists seeking compensation for canceled engagements. “Pay or play is the foundation of our collective bargaining agreements across the country, and we will always protect the provisions of this principle to the greatest extent possible,” he said.
Tags: Metropolitan Opera pay compensation Anna Netrebko
