The official statement says: "It is with great disappointment and regret that Anna Netrebko must cancel her Carnegie Hall recital debut scheduled for October 26. After singing seven performances of the extremely taxing title role in Donizetti's Anna Bolena at the Metropolitan Opera, she has been ordered to go on ten days of vocal rest by her doctor."
In a statement, Anna Netrebko said, "I love this program of music from my home country, and no one is more disappointed and frustrated than me that I won’t be able to perform for New York audiences next week. I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused and am deeply appreciative of everyone’s understanding of this difficult situation.”
Anna Netrebko, Diva Assoluta del Mondo, has opened today the sixth season of The Met: Live in HD, the Metropolitan Opera’s Peabody and Emmy Award-winning series of live transmissions to movie theaters around the world, starring in the title role of Donizetti's masterpiece Anna Bolena. The opera, based on the final tragic days of the ill-fated Queen Anne Boleyn, makes its Met premiere in a new production by David McVicar conducted by Marco Armiliato.
Opposite Anna Netrebko as Anna Bolena were Ekaterina Gubanova as Giovanna Seymour, lady-in-waiting to the Queen who will become her rival to end up being the third King's wife, Ildar Abdrazakov as the King Enrico VIII and Stephen Costello as Lord Riccardo Percy, former lover and husband of Anna Bolena who is still in love with her.
Ms Netrebko's performance as Anna Bolena has been outstanding, absolutely fantastic vocally and with an impressive stage presence. She was thrilling at the final mad scene, moving at the final scene of the first act, touching at the duet with Stephen Costello at the second scene of the second act and amazing at her duet with a fantastic Ekaterina Gubanova at the first scene of the second act.
Ekaterina Gubanova, who had been suffering from a cold during the last days, was impressive vocally and on stage, giving a magnificent portrayal of Giovanna Seymour.
Stephen Costello was a passionated Lord Riccardo Percy and his duet with Anna Netrebko in the second scene of the second act was moving. Ildar Abdrazakov gave also a good portrayal of King Enrico VIII.
The rest of the cast was given by Tamara Mumford as a superb Smeton, Anna Bolena's page and musician who is in love with the Queen, Keith Miller as Lord Rochefort, Anna Bolena's brother, and Eduardo Valdes as Sir Hervey, a court official.
The production by David McVicar was a magnificent one, displaying a superb collection of great costumes. The stage presence of the two irish wolfhound at the second scene of the first act was amazing.
The audience gave a well deserved huge standing ovation at the final curtain calls.
The Met: Live in HD has expanded its worldwide distribution this year, reaching now 1,600 theaters in 54 countries. For first time ever, The Met: Live in HD was available in Russia, Ms Netrebko's native country.
Today's transmission of Anna Bolena has been hosted by Renée Fleming. Met General Manager Peter Gelb made the introduction and interviewed Anna Netrebko before the performance, as she had required. Ms Netrebko addressed some words in russian to her audience in the movie theaters of Moscow and St. Petersburg. Marco Armiliato was also interviewed before the performance, near the entrance to the orchestra pit, by Mary Jo Heath, a member of the Met staff. Renée Fleming was back at the intermission to interview Ekaterina Gubanova and Ildar Abdrazakov, followed by Stephen Costello and Tamara Mumford.
Anna Netrebko made her outstanding worlwide debut as Anna Bolena on 2. April 2011 at the Wiener Staatsoper. A 2 DVD video recording of those performances has been internationally released by Deutsche Grammophon on 14. October 2011 and the Blu-Ray disc version will be released on 4. November 2011.
Donizetti's Anna Bolena, starring Anna Netrebko in the title role, runs at the Met through 18. October 2011, with two additional performances on 1. February and 4. February 2012.
PROGRAMME
ANNA BOLENA
Music by Gaetano Donizetti
Text by Felici Romani
The Met: Live in HD, Met, NYC 15. Oct 2011
CAST
Anna Bolena: Anna Netrebko
Giovanna Seymour: Ekaterina Gubanova
Smeton: Tamara Mumford
Lord Riccardo Percy: Stephen Costello
Enrico VIII: Ildar Abdrazakov
Lord Rochefort: Keith Miller
Sir Hervey: Eduardo Valdes
THE PRODUCTION TEAM
Production: David McVicar
Set Designer: Robert Jones
Costume Designer: Jenny Tiramani
Lighting Designer: Paule Constable
Choreographer: Andrew George
Conductor: Marco Armiliato
LIBRETTO
Anna Bolena | Italian / Spanish Libretto | Atto 1 | Atto 2
METROPOLITAN OPERA VIDEO EXCERPTS
Anna Netrebko sings the title role in this Act I excerpt from Donizetti's "Anna Bolena" at the Opening Night of the Met's 2011-12 Season. Video courtesy of The Metropolitan Opera.
VIDEO EXCERPTS
The Met: Live in HD, Anna Bolena, Met, NYC 15. Oct 2011
Introduction by Renée Fleming and interview to Anna Netrebko by Met General Manager Peter Gelb
Come, innocente giovane · Anna Netrebko, Ekaterina Gubanova
Da quel dì che, lei perduta · Stephen Costello, Keith Miller
Desta sì tosto · Ildar Abdrazakov, Anna Netrebko, Stehen Costello, Keith Miller, Eduardo Valdes
Duet Anna Bolena and Lord Riccardo Percy · Anna Netrebko, Stephen Costello
Giudici! ad Anna · Anna Netrebko, Stephen Costello, Ildar Abdrazakov, Tamara Mumford
Dio, che mi vedi in core · Anna Netrebko, Ekaterina Gubanova
Scostatevi ... il Re giunge · Eduardo Valdes, Ildar Abdrazakov, Anna Netrebko, Stephen Costello
Vivi tu · Stephen Costello, Keith Miller
Piangete voi · Anna Netrebko
Coppia iniqua, l'estrema vendetta · Anna Netrebko, Tamara Mumford, Stephen Costello, Keith Miller
Anna Netrebko and Erwin Schrott are scheduled to sing together in two concerts in Moscow this December.
The first one, Rossini’s Stabat Mater, will be held at the Grand Hall of Moscow Conservatory, Moscow 24. Dec 2011. This, as far as we know, is the debut of Erwin Schrott in this repertoire. Claudio Vandelli conducts the State Symphony Orchestra "New Russia".
Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Grand Hall of Moscow Conservatory, Moscow 24. Dec 2011 – Anna Netrebko (soprano), Erwin Schrott (bass-baritone), Elena Zhidkova (mezzo-soprano), Sergei Romanovsky (tenor); State Symphony Orchestra “New Russia”, Claudio Vandelli
Rossini's Stabat Mater, Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia: Marianna Pizzolato, Anna Netrebko, Antonio Pappano. Grosses Festspielhaus, Salzburg 8. Aug 2011.
The second concert will be held at the Svetlanov Hall, Moscow International Music House, Moscow 28. Dec 2011. Vladimir Spivakov conducts the National Philarmonic of Russia.
Svetlanov Hall, Moscow International Music House, Moscow 28. Dec 2011 – Anna Netrebko (soprano), Erwin Schrott (bass-baritone); National Philarmonic of Russia, Vladimir Spivakov
Erwin Schrott and Anna Netrebko, Königsplatz, München 29. Jul 2011. Photo: Herbert
Rossini's Stabat Mater from Salzburger Festspiele 2011, starring Anna Netrebko, Ildebrando d'Arcangelo, Marianna Pizzolato and Matthew Polenzani with the Coro and Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia conducted by Antonio Pappano, will be broadcast on ORF 2 on 1. Nov 2011 at 09:35 AM and on ARTE on 25. Dec 2011 at 19:15.
Anna Netrebko, Stephen Costello and Met General Manager Peter Gelb were on Charlie Rose on 5. Oct 2011. Check out a video of the interview on Charlie Rose website.
Anna Netrebko and Stephen Costello at a taping for Charlie Rose on 5. Oct 2011. Photo courtesy of 21C Media Group
Met General Manager Peter Gelb previewed the season in conversation with Anna Netrebko and Deborah Voigt, presented video highlights from the season-opening performance of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena featuring Ms. Netrebko as well as footage from Wagner's Die Walküre featuring Ms. Voigt.
The evening concluded with live performances by two up-and-coming Met stars – soprano Angela Meade and bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni – in “Madamina, il catalago è questo” from Mozart’s Don Giovanni.
Anna Netrebko made her debut at the Carnegie Hall in a memorable concert with Dmitri Hvorostovsky on 30. May 2007.
Her first piano solo recital at the Carnegie Hall will take place on 26. Oct 2011. The program is fully devoted to Russian composers Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov aand Piotr Ilych Tchaikovsky and Ms Netrebko will be accompanied at the piano by Elena Bashkirova. Check out the Carnegie Hall website for further details of the program.
EMI recording of Rossini's Stabat Mater, starring Anna Netrebko (soprano), Joyce DiDonato (Mezzo-soprano), Lawrence Brownlee (tenor) and Ildebrando D'Arcangelo (bass-baritone), with the Orchestra e Coro dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia conducted by Antonio Pappano, has been the recipient of one of the Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2011 in the category Editor's Choice.
Winners were announced during a ceremony in London on Thursday 6. Oct 2011.
Check out Anna Netrebko | Awards for a full summary of the awards and prizes received so far by Ms. Netrebko.
The Met: Live in HD, the Metropolitan Opera’s award-winning series of live transmissions to movie theaters around the world, has expanded its worldwide distribution to different countries including, for first time ever, Russia.
In Russia The Met: Live in HD will be available in 4 cinemas in Moscow (35 mm cinema,.Formula Kino Horizon, Formula Kino Arrow and Formula Kino City) and 1 cinema in St. Petersburg (Formula Kino Gallery).
КИНОТЕАТРЫ Кинотеатр 35mm
Москва, ул. Покровка, 47/24
(м. Курская / Красные ворота)
Формула Кино Горизонт
Москва, Комсомольский просп., 21/10
(м. Фрунзенская)
Формула Кино Стрела
Москва, Смоленская-Сенная пл., 23/25
(м. Смоленская)
Формула Кино Сити
Москва, Пресненская набережная, д. 2
(м. Выставочная)
Формула Кино Галерея
Санкт-Петербург, Лиговский просп. 30а, ТРЦ «Галерея»
(м. Лиговский проспект)
Tickets are not on sale yet and most likely the sale will start this Saturday 8. Oct. Further information on the cinemas can be found on the CoolConnections.ru website.
The 2011-2012 series of live transmissions begins on 15. October with the Met premiere production of Donizetti’s Anna Bolena, featuring Anna Netrebko in the title role, Ekaterina Gubanova as Giovanna Seymour, Ildar Abdrazakov as Enrico VIII, Stephen Costello as Lord Riccardo Percy and Tamara Mumford as Smeton. The opera is directed by David McVicar and conducted by Marco Armiliato.
Check out also the Met press release for further details about the current season of The Met: Live in HD.
This is an audio-excerpt of Anna Netrebko's interview with Sean Rafferty of BBC Radio 3 on In Tume on 28. Sep 2011.
Netrebko talks about Donizetti's "Anna Bolena" and her upcoming challenges in more dramatic roles, such as Eleonora in Verdi's "Il Trovatore", Tatiana in Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin" and the title role in Puccini's "Manon Lescaut".