Anna Netrebko: Top Russian soprano fired over war sues Met Opera

Russian opera vocalist Anna Netrebko is suing New York City's Metropolitan Opera, aft she was dropped pursuing Russia's penetration of Ukraine.

The internationally renowned soprano is suing the opera location and its manager for $360,000 successful damages.

Ms Netrebko has antecedently supported President Vladimir Putin - but did condemn the penetration aft unit from the Met.

The opera has responded successful a statement, saying the suit had nary merit.

Opera prima Ms Netrebko's suit - against some the Met and its manager, Peter Gelb - was filed successful the US District Court successful Manhattan connected Friday.

She is alleging defamation, breach of declaration and different violations, and is demanding hundreds of thousands of dollars successful damages for mislaid show and rehearsal fees.

The 51-year-old claims the Met caused her "severe intelligence anguish and affectional distress", including "depression, humiliation, embarrassment, accent and anxiety, and affectional symptom and suffering".

Ms Netrebko, who besides has Austrian citizenship, has antecedently expressed enactment for President Putin. In 2014, she donated wealth to a theatre successful the rebel-held metropolis of Donetsk successful eastbound Ukraine, and was pictured holding a pro-Russian rebel flag.

After Russia invaded Ukraine successful February 2022, she was urged to talk retired against Mr Putin and the war.

She did yet accede to the demands to condemn the struggle - but stopped abbreviated of denouncing the Russian president and was dropped by the Met successful each aboriginal performances a period aft the invasion.

Her suit alleges that the Met and Mr Gelb "harmed Netrebko's narration among audiences, including by encouraging protests against her performances", and that her disapproval of the warfare mislaid her contracts with Russian theatre companies, AP quality bureau reported.

The Met said successful a statement: "Ms Netrebko's suit has nary merit."

Earlier this year, Ms Netrebko filed a abstracted ailment done the national representing opera performers, the American Guild of Musical Artists.

An arbitrator successful that quality ruled successful February that the Met had violated a contractual statement erstwhile it cancelled immoderate performances, and awarded her compensation much than $200,000.

Since being dropped by the Met, Ms Netrebko has performed elsewhere including successful Italy successful June, and is scheduled for upcoming performances successful Buenos Aires, Berlin, Vienna, Milan and Paris.

She is besides owed to execute successful Prague successful October, but past period the city's lawman politician urged the performance hallway to cancel the show.

Jiri Pospisil said helium had met with Ukrainian officials and said Ms Netrebko was connected Ukraine's sanctions list. The shaper organising the lawsuit said Ms Netrebko had condemned the warfare and she did not recognize efforts to cancel the event, which is astir sold out.