Dear Mr Beard CBE,

 

As someone who cares deeply about both the arts and the future of Ukraine, I am writing to express my outrage at your decision to once again give a platform to Anna Netrebko – a soprano who has never truly distanced herself from Vladimir Putin or his regime’s brutal war against Ukraine.

 

Netrebko’s record is clear: she publicly supported the illegal annexation of Crimea, appeared at Kremlin propaganda events, and has consistently refused to fully and unequivocally denounce Russia’s invasion – even as it has left tens of thousands dead and millions displaced. Her gestures of disavowal have been performative at best. Netrebko's anti-war statements do not name Russia as a clear aggressor and Ukraine as a clear victim; the statement is not clear, and it fails to condemn Russian imperialism. For many of us – especially Ukrainians and their allies – her presence on your stage is not just offensive. It is political. It is a statement.

 

It is also worth noting that Netrebko has been officially sanctioned by Ukraine since 2024. This is not a vague controversy or a matter of interpretation – Ukraine itself has taken clear legal and political action against her. That fact alone should raise urgent questions about the ethics of featuring her in any public or cultural institution that claims to support Ukraine’s sovereignty.

 

This is bigger than one artist. It’s about the integrity of your institution. In 2022, you made headlines for cutting ties with the Bolshoi Ballet and standing in solidarity with Ukraine. That decision mattered. It sent a powerful message: the arts are not neutral when it comes to state violence. So why now, only a few years later, are you welcoming back one of Putin’s most prominent cultural ambassadors?

 

You cannot have it both ways.

 

Already, well over 5,000 people have signed a Change.org petition demanding you cancel Netrebko’s upcoming performance:

https://www.change.org/p/stop-anna-netrebko-s-performance-at-the-royal-opera-house 

 

The public is not confused about what this moment represents. Platforming Netrebko now is not an act of artistic independence or neutrality – it is an endorsement. It tells the world that your solidarity with Ukraine was temporary, symbolic, and ultimately expendable.

 

I was also deeply struck by the recent Open Letter from members of the Royal Ballet and Royal Opera on the genocide in Gaza. They courageously called out your silence and double standards – applauding your vocal support for Ukraine while remaining complicit in other ongoing atrocities by collaborating with institutions that endorse the Israeli military. Their question is now impossible to ignore:

 

Why the double standards?

 

By platforming Netrebko while basking in past praise for “standing with Ukraine,” you undermine everything you claimed to stand for in 2022. You send the message that justice only matters when it’s easy – or politically safe.

 

You still have a choice. You can choose to stand for consistency, dignity, and human life – not just when it’s popular, but when it counts. I urge you: do not allow your stage to become a vehicle for impunity and erasure. Cancel Anna Netrebko’s performance.

 

The world is watching.

Best regards,

[name and address]