Boos for Anna Netrebko, once again. In Milan’s opera house at La Scala, she sings with radiant agility at the season opening, which was, as usual, attended by many (financial) celebrities, and rejuvenates Leonora in Giuseppe Verdi’s war and hate epic “The Power of Fate”. Her final, ethereal request for peace is a highlight of fine singing, great calm, and magical intonation. Nevertheless, Netrebko, of all people, received a few boos in the twelve-minute final celebration, which is a lot for the cool Milanese. Nobody knows what was on the minds of those who were booing, but it probably wasn’t aesthetic objections to Netrebko’s singing. According to Italian media reports, the soon-to-leave Scala director Dominique Meyer suspects that Netrebko is being punished for being Russian. But that is ridiculous. After Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Netrebko avoided speaking out clearly against the Russian ruler, something that some still resent her for to this day, even though the singer has denounced any form of war. And Milan’s mayor Giuseppe Sala notes that in times of war like these it would be highly unusual if there were no protests. In addition, booing at the Scala season opening has a long tradition.