Anna Netrebko's lawsuit against the Metropolitan Opera has been narrowed down to gender discrimination claims by a federal judge, who dismissed allegations of defamation, breach of contract, and discrimination based on national origin. The decision was made by U.S. District Judge Analisa Nadine Torres in Manhattan, who issued a 23-page ruling on the suit filed by Netrebko on August 4 last year.
The Metropolitan Opera removed the Russian soprano from future engagements shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Met General Manager Peter Gelb had requested that she denounce Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Netrebko's manager, Miguel Esteban, stated that while the court narrowed the issues, it recognized that the Met had wronged Anna Netrebko and that an important case remained. Netrebko is committed to pursuing the complaint to vindicate her rights, restore her reputation, and prove that the Metropolitan Opera and Peter Gelb treated her unlawfully.
The case has not yet been scheduled for trial. The Met expressed satisfaction that three of the four claims were dismissed and believed the fourth claim would also prove to be without merit if it went to trial.
The American Guild of Musical Artists filed a grievance on Netrebko's behalf, and an arbitrator ruled in February 2023 that the Met violated the union's collective bargaining agreement by canceling deals with Netrebko for three productions, awarding compensation of $209,103.48.
Netrebko's lawsuit alleged breach of additional agreements for 40 performances, but the court ruled against her, stating that those engagements were never finalized into contracts.
In dismissing the defamation claim, the judge noted that Netrebko's statements disassociating herself from Putin's actions did not alter the Met's belief that she supported the Russian leader. The judge also stated that the firing did not sufficiently implicate her national origin to infer discrimination.
Regarding gender discrimination, the judge allowed Netrebko to proceed with claims under New York State Human Rights Law and New York City Human Rights Law, alleging that male counterparts with connections to Putin and the Russian government were treated more favorably by the Met. The judge cited specific male singers who continued to perform at the Met.
The judge found these claims plausible and denied the Met's motion to dismiss.
