As the host of the International May Festival, the Wiesbaden City Council has spoken out against a performance by opera singer Anna Yurievna Netrebko at the 2023 May Festival. The Hessian state government supports this stance, stating in a joint statement from the city and state: "The Artistic Director of the International May Festival is dedicating the 2023 International May Festival to those who are in prison because of their opinions. Among others, he mentions the Russian activist Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny. The country where he is in prison is currently waging a war of aggression against Ukraine. People are dying every day. In view of these facts, it is impossible to explain to our Ukrainian friends why the opera singer Anna Yurievna Netrebko should perform at the International May Festival. This behavior is highly insensitive. Netrebko is on a Ukraine sanctions list and has still not distanced herself from Putin and his regime. We have asked the artistic director to do without Ms. Netrebko. Unfortunately without success." The head of the Hessian State Chancellery, Minister of State Axel Wintermeyer, added: "The state of Hesse is now also taking action. It is clear that we stand in solidarity with Ukraine. That is why the Minister President will suspend his patronage of the May Festival. We will also cancel the pre-reception."

Lord Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende and Head of Cultural Affairs Axel Imholz regret that no agreement could be reached with the artistic director on this sensitive issue. "We respect artistic freedom, but at this time we want to leave no doubt about our solidarity with Ukraine, whose cities continue to be destroyed by Russian missiles and whose people are fleeing the country and have also found refuge in Wiesbaden." Although a decision on whether the state capital of Wiesbaden should refrain from holding representative events at the May Festival will be taken by the city council tomorrow, it would be consistent and send out the right signal.

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