Luciano Romano
While Anna Netrebko won’t be returning to the Met until at least 2030 when Peter Gelb’s contract expires, the embattled soprano appears to be regaining ground at opera companies across Europe. While her debut as Abigaille took well over two years to come to fruition and her Ariadne still hasn’t panned out, she did manage to debut a new role in Naples earlier this month — Amelia in Un ballo in maschera — and this week’s Grand Tier Grab Bag features her in the complete second Act of her first performance opposite Ludovic Tezier and Piero Pretti.
Netrebko’s performances following her exile from the Met have largely lacked a polish and freshness compared to her earlier career, but cher public can be the judge of how this new Verdi role fits her current capabilities. She will return to the role in Paris in the spring. Netrebko’s recent Tosca in London, her first staged opera in the Anglophone world since the New Year’s Eve gala dedicated to her at the Met in 2019, will be broadcast on 25 October.
Verdi: Un ballo in maschera, Act II
Riccardo – Piero Pretti
Renato – Ludovic Tezier
Amelia – Anna Netrebko (role debut)
Samuel – Romano Dal Zovo
Tom – Adriano Gramigni
Direttore – Pinchas Steinberg
Napoli – Teatro San Carlo
4 October 2025
In-house
Tell us: What was the best of 2025?
Parterre Box concludes the thrilling first year of Talk of the Town by inviting your lightning rod opinions on several more categories of operatic argumentation.
