
Singer Sues Met Opera Over Firing for Post-Pregnancy Vocal Problems
The Georgian mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili was once one of opera's most sought-after stars, renowned for stirring, powerful performances in works like Bizet's 'Carmen' and Verdi's 'Il Trovatore.'
But after she began experiencing vocal problems during pregnancy in 2021, her career suffered. The Metropolitan Opera canceled her engagements and Rachvelishvili lost work at other opera companies.
Now Rachvelishvili, 40, is suing both the Met and the union representing her, seeking more than $400,000 in compensation for lost work. In a complaint filed in late March, she accused the Met of breaching its contracts with her, and she said that her union, the American Guild of Musical Artists, had failed to properly represent her.
Rachvelishvili's lawsuit claimed that the Met had been aware that she had 'suffered complications from her pregnancy and birth affecting her voice and vocal range.' The suit described her as being 'disabled due to her pregnancy' and accused the opera company of discriminating against her.
'I was shocked that I was not given a chance to recover and all of my contracts for the next two years were immediately canceled without pay,' she said in a statement.
The Met said it could not comment on pending litigation.
Her complaint argues that the Met should compensate her because of a contractual agreement known as 'pay or play,' which requires institutions to pay contracted performers even if they later decide not to engage them.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Wall Street Journal
an hour ago
- Wall Street Journal
‘Aida' Review: Angel Blue's Sensational Soprano on PBS
It might dawn on a viewer during 'Aida' that we live in a great country, where you can avail yourself of three hours of Verdi from the Metropolitan Opera on a Friday night for the unprincely sum of $1.60 (what each American pays, approximately, for a year of public broadcasting). And, if you happen to have other plans, make use of your god-given DVR option to watch it later. Do one or the other: There are flaws in the production, but it is a spectacle, an emotional and compositional expedition, with a couple of extra-musical dramas afoot as well. The first of these is the appearance of the sensational Angel Blue in her first New York 'Aida,' a role that was virtually owned by another black American soprano, Leontyne Price, during her career at the Met. If opera weren't like hockey, race would be irrelevant. But there's no avoiding the sense of daring involved in a relatively young star such as Ms. Blue taking on a role so identified with a goddess like Price. As viewers will see, and hear, Ms. Blue makes her own mark on a notoriously difficult part, negotiating its most treacherous passages effortlessly and with enormous warmth. She may possess less vocal grandeur than Price, but grandeur may not be what a listener wants from the enslaved Ethiopian princess of Verdi's epic, a tale in which frustrated love and total war lead to the kind of happy ending familiar to fans of grand opera. (I'm kidding.)
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
King Charles to Sit Out Major Royal Event in Stunning Break From Tradition
King Charles to Sit Out Major Royal Event in Stunning Break From Tradition originally appeared on Parade. will reportedly sit out a major royal event—the 2025 Trooping the Colour parade—in a stunning break from tradition amid his cancer battle. On Saturday, June 14, the annual event celebrating the birthday of the British sovereign will be held. Part of the day steeped in tradition includes a parade, for which the reigning monarch rides on horseback. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 However, King Charles, 76, will not ride on a horse for the 2025 Trooping the Colour, The Times reported. The eldest child of the late will instead ride in a horse-drawn carriage during the procession from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade and back. King Charles brought back the riding-on-horseback tradition for the 2023 Trooping the Colour parade, his first as monarch after Queen Elizabeth died at 96 in September 2022. Before then, Queen Elizabeth last rode on horseback for the procession in 1986. The royal also rode in a carriage with his wife, , 77, in 2024, four months after announcing his cancer diagnosis. According to The Times, King Charles is not expected to ride on horseback again at Trooping the Colour. Related: Meanwhile, , 40, and , 43, will sit out the 2025 Trooping the Colour completely amid an ongoing rift between them and the rest of the royal family after the Sussexes relocated to the U.S. in 2020. Luckily for royal fans, , 42, , 43, and their three children—Prince George, 11, , 10, and , 7—are expected to participate in the Trooping the Colour on June 14. We can't wait to see photos! Next: King Charles to Sit Out Major Royal Event in Stunning Break From Tradition first appeared on Parade on Jun 10, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Paramount lays off several hundred employees amid linear TV declines and 'dynamic macro-environment'
Paramount Global will lay off 3.5% of its domestic workforce, which amounts to several hundred jobs, as the media and entertainment company continues to navigate a difficult industrywide decline in linear television. The majority of the affected employees were notified Tuesday, according to a letter sent Tuesday morning to employees that was obtained by The Times. In addition to the decline in linear TV, the company also cited a "dynamic macro-economic environment" and the continued priority of streaming business investments as the backdrop to these layoffs. The affected departments were not disclosed. "We recognize how difficult this is and are very thankful for everyone's hard work and contributions," Paramount co-chief executives George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy and Brian Robbins wrote in the letter. "These changes are necessary to address the environment we are operating in and best position Paramount for success." The layoffs come just one day after Paramount said its chief financial officer, Naveen Chopra, would be resigning at the end of the month. The company said in a regulatory filing that Chopra's resignation was not the result of disagreement with the company or its board of directors. Paramount is just one of several studios across Hollywood that are downsizing. Last week, Walt Disney Co. announced layoffs for several hundred employees in the U.S. and abroad, citing the decline in linear TV. The layoffs largely affected the film and television marketing teams, television publicity, casting and development as well as corporate financial operations. The move came just three months after the company cut 200 workers, including at ABC News and Disney-owned entertainment networks. Warner Bros. Discovery also laid off employees from its cable TV channels last week, cutting several dozen positions. On Monday, the media and entertainment company said it would split into two separate firms — one entity that includes the film studio, television production, HBO and HBO Max and DC Studios and the other with cable channels such as CNN and TNT as well as its European over-the-air networks. Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data