Anna Netrebko Returns to London: A New Era for the Royal Opera
After a six-year break, superstar soprano Anna Netrebko is about to step back onto the stage at London’s Royal Opera House, and buzz is already building. For the 2025/26 season, Netrebko will launch the show calendar by starring in a new production of Tosca. She’s no stranger to Covent Garden—she’s previously delivered stunning turns as Violetta in La traviata, Lady Macbeth, and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni. This time, she returns with even higher expectations, after years spent wowing audiences in Milan, Vienna, Paris, Berlin, and Zurich.
What’s different this season? For one, the new Music Director Jakub Hrůša is at the helm, known for his energetic style and his mission to shake up the repertoire. Oliver Mears, the in-house creative chief, directs Netrebko's Tosca, hoping to put a fresh stamp on the classic. And it’s hardly a one-off: she’ll also headline as Turandot and step into the solo spotlight for a recital accompanied by pianist Pavel Nebolsin. That’s a lot of stage time for London fans who’ve waited since 2019 to see her in person.
Diversity, Drama, and a Powerhouse Lineup
Jakub Hrůša is making it clear he wants this new era to stand out. He’s rolling out eight new opera productions across the season—Netrebko’s return is just the start. The lineup checks all the boxes: you’ll get cutting-edge stagings balanced with powerful classics, a nod to what modern opera-goers want. Hrůša himself will conduct Janáček’s haunting The Makropulos Case and curate an all-star concert of Bartók and Dvořák, showing off his Czech roots.
The leadership trio this season—Hrůša, Principal Guest Conductor Speranza Scappucci, and Royal Ballet Music Director Koen Kessels—looks ready to give Covent Garden fresh momentum. With global stars like Netrebko leading the way, the season promises a blend of big-ticket glamour and artistic risk-taking.
Netrebko is no stranger to the spotlight. Her return, though, comes at a time when her name carries extra weight, not just for her voice but for her public persona. While discussions about her past associations continue, her bookings in Europe's top houses and now London show her star power hasn’t faded. As the Royal Opera House throws open its doors for the new season, there’s little doubt it’ll be her performance everyone talks about.
