Anna Netrebko awarded with honorary title “Kammersängerin”
Anna Netrebko has been accorded a special honor with the honorary title „Kammersängerin“. The title is bestowed only upon the most distinguished opera singers.
The award was presented by the Minister of Culture Thomas Drozda and Staatsoper director Dominique Meyer in the Gustav Mahler-Saal at the Wiener Staatsoper on February the 16th. The guests included Anna Netrebko’s husband Yusif Eyvazov, her father Yuri Netrebko, former Staatsoper director Ioan Holender, and designated Staatsoper director Bogdan Roščić as well as her colleagues Luciana D’Intino, Dmitry Korchak, KS Wolfgang Bankl, Hans Peter Kammerer, Simina Ivan, KS Ileana Cotrubas, and conductor Marco Armiliato.
In his speech Dominique Meyer called Anna Netrebko’s performances a “gift which evokes great emotions. Everybody is always happy when you come to the Wiener Staatsoper: You are part of the family! It will be a tremendous joy to read the letters ‘KS’ next to the name tag of your dressing room.”
Culture Minister Thomas Drozda said: “All over the world the name Netrebko stands for the most formidable opera and distinguished acting skills. For many people she represents the opera like no other and whisks wide audiences away into her musical world.”
“I am very happy and proud to receive the title ‘Kammersängerin’”, commented Anna Netrebko. “There is such a long tradition of great singers in Vienna and many of them have these special two letters in front of their names: KS. I’ve been singing in Vienna and Salzburg for 15 years and Austria has become my home. There is nothing more wonderful to me than being awarded the title ‘Kammersängerin’ here in Vienna. Thank you to the city of Vienna, the Wiener Staatsoper and of course a special thank you to Director Meyer for this award. Thank you so much.”
Anna Netrebko will continue performing her celebrated portrayal of Leonora in Il trovatore until February 18th. Altogether she has performed 68 times at the Wiener Staatsoper, including the title roles in Manon, Manon Lescaut, Anna Bolena, Lucia di Lammermoor, and the roles of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Tatiana in Eugene Onegin, Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Micaëla in Carmen, Mimì in La bohème, Amina in La sonnambula, and Juliette in Roméo et Juliette. She debuted at the Wiener Staatsoper on the 2nd of April 2004 with her portrayal of Violetta in La traviata.