Anna Netrebko had her breakthrough as an opera singer in 1995 at the San Francisco Opera. She started her formation in Russia, in the city of St. Petersburg where she won the Glinka Award for singers in 1994.

 

After the San Francisco debut she became known on all major opera stages in the world, amongst them the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Wiener Staatsoper.

 

At the moment Anna Netrebko is doing a concert tour through Germany and Austria. A month ago she decided to become a testimonial for the BMW Hydrogen 7 - and this though she owns no driving license. We met her during her tour asking why she is engaging in environmental matters and when she is finally going to do her license.

 

 

How is your tournee going?Our concerts in Germany are very successful and are mostly sold out. I have even had some trouble getting tickets for family and friends!!! (Laughs). The audiences have been wonderful, and they are very passionate about classical music. Many of them wait hours before and after the concert to get autographs.

What made you decide to drive with a Hydrogen 7 vehicle?

As an opera singer, I have engagements around the world. Therefore, clean air and clean energy are important issues for me. When I learned that I could ride in the first Hydrogen 7 vehicle (and it is a very cool and comfortable car!), I knew that this was important and something I wanted to do.

You do not have a driving license yourself – you however have the full driving pleasure?I have wanted to learn to drive for a very long time. I simply need to find the right time and place to make my license. This new BMW has motivated me to make this happen sooner! It certainly hasn't stopped me from asking my driver if I can drive the powerful and clean Hydrogen 7 by myself!How do you see the BMW vision of a zero emission water vapor vehicle concept?BMW has made a very strong statement to the world by creating this incredible car. We cannot make a conversion to all Hydrogen in a very short time, so this is the perfect place to begin. The Hydrogen 7 will be the leader that will bring this issue to all other car companies as well as all developed countries as we try to make our world a safer and healthier place to live.

How do you see the “new green” movement?It is very important that more and more influential people like Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Al Gore, Bill Clinton, or key players of the entertainment business like Angelina Jolie engage in a better environment for the future. The politicians alone are not able to handle all the sustainability issues of our planet.

Many actors, artists etc. are going green and promote green technologies or sustainable products. Can artists influence the public opinion by doing so?It is one thing to appreciate the work and the performance of an Artist. But what is as important, is to know, if and how an Artist engages himself socially and for the environment. Only if both criteria fit together organically, at least I can really appreciate an Artist personally. Artists have the ability to reach a large public, and I believe it is our responsibility to adopt important causes so that we can use our influence in the most positive way.

What do you personally do to lead a sustainable lifestyle?To be open - to me it is important to make one step after another and to learn more and more on how I can do my part for a greener future. I might not exchange a relaxing hot bath tub after a strenuous perfomance against a cold shower. But more and more hotels
heat this water with solar energy. Another example: I prefer to drive with close to zero emission with my BMW to my show in the next city, where I perfom. Even if a flight would be more time saving.

Living in the US, Austria and Russia: How do people in these different countries see issues of the environment?In Europe and in the US more and more people are very environmentally conscious. In Russia, we have a long way to go to bring these issues before the public. However, the vast majority of Russians live a simpler, 'greener' lifestyle simply due to their lack of financial resources.
Interview: Alex Goerlach
Fotos: BMW pressclub