Anna Netrebko out of Met Opera over her support of Putin

Russian soprano Anna Netrebko bows to the audience (Luca Bruno/AP)

Soprano Anna Netrebko withdrew from her future engagements at the Metropolitan Opera rather than repudiate her support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, costing the company one of its top singers and best box-office draws.

“It is a great artistic loss for the Met and for opera,” Met General Manager Peter Gelb said in a statement on Thursday. “Anna is one of the greatest singers in Met history, but with Putin killing innocent victims in Ukraine, there was no way forward.”