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...