Keeping Vladimir Putin, Placido Domingo and Valery Gergiev at a safe arm's length whilst maintaining a tight grip on her champagne flute is just one of the skills a modern diva must master.
Anna Netrebko was in St Petersburg last night to star in a spectacular gala concert for the opening of the new Mariinsky II theatre. The multi-million-rouble modernist edifice is connected by a footbridge to the traditionally-styled old theatre, where the Austrian soprano used to scrub the floor in between singing lessons.
The concert, beamed live around the world, also featured Domingo, Ildar Abdrazakov, Olga Borodina, Alexei Markov, Evgeny Nikitin, René Pape, Ekaterina Semenchuk, Mikhail Petrenko, Sergei Semishkur, Yekaterina Kondaurova, Ulyana Lopatkina, Diana Vishneva, Olga Esina, Vladimir Shklyarov, Yuri Bashmet, Denis Matsuev and Leonidas Kavakos. It was conducted by Gergiev, celebrating his 60th birthday at the same time, and broadcast live.
You can watch the whole thing below - the music starts around 22 minutes in - or for the time-pressed try the brief news summary below that.


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