Russian opera diva crowned Queen

Her voice is like fireworks, her charisma is captivating. The darling of the operatic stage, Russia’s Anna Netrebko, will open the new season at the Metropolitan Opera in the role of an ill-fated English queen.

­One of the greatest living soprano singers, renowned for her distinctive dark voice, dramatic stage presence and sex appeal, will be portraying Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, who was executed on her husband’s orders after just three years of marriage.

The Russian diva has performed some of the most coveted classic roles in history, and Gaetano Donizetti’s opera – Anna Bolena – is no exception.

The famous duet “Sul suo capo aggravi un Dio”, between Anne and Jane Seymour – who as Henry VIII’s third wife held the title of King’s consort – is considered one of the finest in the operatic repertoire.

The premiere of the opera is scheduled for September 26. Meanwhile, Netrebko is also getting ready for her next title role at the Metropolitan where she is set to appear in the French comic opera Manon, by Jules Massenet, next March.

The award-winning singer lives in Vienna, New York and St. Petersburg, rarely giving concerts in Russia. Her shows are booked months in advance and her worldwide popularity has turned her into a superstar worth of the TIME 100 list.

Her big break came in 1994 at the Mariinsky Theater. Since then, Netrebko has performed regularly with the world’s leading conductors, including Zubin Mehta, Claudio Abbado and Valery Gergiev, on some the world’s most prestigious stages.

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