Soprano Anna Netrebko will return to London’s Royal Opera after a six-year absence to open the 2025-26 season in a brand new manufacturing of Puccini’s “Tosca” that begins Jakub Hrůša’s tenure as music director.
She is to sing 4 performances from Sept. 11-21 in a brand new manufacturing by Oliver Mears set in a contemporary war-torn Rome, the corporate introduced Wednesday. It co-stars Freddie De Tommaso and Gerald Finley.
Netrebko is also to seem in 4 performances of a revival of Puccini’s “Turandot” from Dec. 15-23 and to offer a recital on June 24, 2026.
She final sung at Covent Backyard in April 2019 in Verdi’s “La Forza del Destino.” Scheduled appearances in Verdi’s “Nabucco” in January 2022 had been canceled due to European journey restrictions.
Netrebko was dropped from future engagements by New York’s Metropolitan Opera shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Met Common Supervisor Peter Gelb had demanded she repudiate Russia President Vladimir Putin.
She has continued to sing at most high homes and made her first U.S. look in six years at a Palm Seaside Opera recital in February.
Hrůša, who succeeds Antonio Pappano, additionally will conduct the corporate premiere of Janáček’s “The Makropulos Case” (Nov. 4) and a revival of Britten’s “Peter Grimes” (Might 5, 2026).
Speranza Scappucci begins her tenure as principal visitor conductor with a revival of Verdi’s “Les Vêpres Siciliennes” (Sept. 19).
There additionally shall be new main-stage productions of Handel’s “Ariodante” (Dec. 9), Wagner’s “Siegfried” (March 17) and “Bellini’s ”I Puritani” (June 30, 2026).