Protest Erupts in Berlin Over Netrebko Performance

A peaceful but powerful protest took place in the heart of Berlin on the evening Sunday, July 20, as Ukrainian and Georgian activists rallied against the performance of Russian soprano Anna Netrebko at the “Classic Open Air” music festival. The demonstration unfolded in front of the historic Gendarmenmarkt, where Netrebko – a globally recognized opera star with documented ties to the Kremlin – was set to perform.

The rally was organized by the Ukrainian organizations Vitsche and the Georgian GZA (Georgisches Zentrum im Ausland). According to organizers, around 200 people took part in the demonstration. Berlin police confirmed that the protest remained peaceful and free of incidents.

Demonstrators carrying Ukrainian flags and anti-war banners stationed themselves at all three entrances to the concert venue. Their chants were unambiguous: “Russia is a terrorist state!” “No stage for Putin supporters!” “No business with Russia!”

The protest directly targeted Anna Netrebko’s longstanding ties to Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin. A world-renowned soprano, Netrebko has supported Putin in the past, publicly endorsing him during elections and appearing at pro-Kremlin events. In 2014, she made headlines after donating to a theater in Russian-occupied Donetsk while posing with a separatist flag. Although she later issued statements attempting to distance herself from Russian politics, she has never clearly condemned Putin or Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a point that continues to fuel criticism.

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“The core message is resistance against occupation,” said Vasily Oniani, cofounder of GZA and lead organizer of the demonstration, in a comment to Kyiv Post.

“Ana Netrebko, the world-renowned Russian opera singer, is a known supporter and propagandist of Vladimir Putin. Our demonstration highlighted that Russian art is used as a machine for political propaganda. Georgia and Ukraine are both occupied by Russia – and we stand against it.”

Oniani stressed the broader implications of cultural propaganda, calling for vigilance in democratic societies:

“We must act decisively to counter Russian propaganda, which sadly remains effective in many parts of the world. The democratic community needs to be actively informed and enlightened about the threat that Putin’s regime poses — not only militarily, but also ideologically and culturally,” he said

While Netrebko’s performance went ahead as scheduled, critics say her continued presence on European stages – including at prestigious festivals – signals a dangerous normalization of Kremlin-linked narratives in Western cultural spaces.

Though Netrebko’s performance went ahead as scheduled, the message outside the concert hall was impossible to ignore. Activists vowed to continue protesting appearances by public figures tied to the Kremlin’s narrative.

As Russia’s war in Ukraine drags on and occupation continues in parts of Georgia, activists say they will persist in calling out institutions that provide platforms to figures perceived as enablers of Putin’s regime.