Following Netrebko’s donation, the conductor has received an invitation to the Ukrainian opera house.

Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, who recently toured Australia with the London Symphony Orchestra, is the latest protagonist in an ongoing musical drama unfolding in Donetsk, Ukraine.

The saga began when Russian opera star Anna Netrebko announced at a press conference in St Petersburg on December 8 that she would be donating 1million roubles to support the staff and artists of the Donbass Opera, the resident company of the Donetsk Opera House which is located in an area of the Ukraine currently involved in the separatist conflict. The theatre’s warehouses, which contain sets and costumes have reportedly been shelled, and staff have not been paid since July of this year.

At the announcement Netrebko was photographed with Ukrainian separatist politician Oleg Tsarov, while holding the flag of ‘Novorossia’, the amalgamated territories currently held by rebel forces in the Ukraine.

Anna Netrebko with Ukrainian separatist flag

The apparent political statement sparked a backlash against the Russian soprano resulting in the loss of an endorsement deal with Austrian Airlines, and legions of the singer’s fans and other high profile musicians taking to social media to voice their displeasure of Netrebko’s alleged support for the separatist conflict.

Netrebko responded via a statement posted on her facebook page which asserted that she hadn’t known what the flag represented and that she had been “caught off guard” by the photo opportunity. However the statement was removed from Netrebko’s facebook page just six days later, stirring up further speculation about Netrebko’s political allegiances.

Evgeny Denisenko, the Director General of Donbass Opera has now announced, in an interview with the Russian News Agency, that he has invited Gergiev to conduct at the opera house. Gergiev’s public endorsement of Vladimir Putin, including the President’s involvement in the Ukrainian fighting, and Russia’s anti-gay legislation has provoked protests at his performances, with some engagements even being withdrawn. In his interview Denisenko described Gergiev as a “hero”, saying “When there were events in Tskhinvali (during Russia’s conflict with Georgia), he went there with the Mariinsky orchestra. For me it was an achievement. He is a very brave man and world-class conductor.”