If you happened to be wandering Toronto’s Distillery District or Kensington Market yesterday (or visiting a Red Lobster) and stumbled across some flamboyantly dressed people speaking a boisterous Russian, you may have been lucky enough to catch sight of famed opera diva Anna Netrebko.
Fresh off her rousing success at the Four Seasons Centre Tuesday night as part of Trio Magnifico, Anna Netrebko and her husband, tenor Yusif Eyvazov and her son Tiago, took to the streets of Toronto for a tour done their way. If you didn’t manage to catch them taking the city by storm, luckily for us, their three-person joint Instagram account @anna_netrebko_yusi_tiago detailedly documents their journey; Red Lobster orders and all.
Scroll down to read our analysis.
The Traveller
What would a first trip to Toronto be without a stop at our stunning Niagara Falls? Ms. Netrebko and Mr. Eyvazov (perhaps with young Tiago as the photographer) first up posed for some romantic shots at one of Canada’s most treasured natural landscapes.
Ever a performer, we love Ms. Netrebko’s stylish travel outfit.
Presumably en route to the Four Seasons Centre, Ms. Netrebko then posted artful pictures of two Toronto landmarks, Old City Hall and Nathan Phillips Square, complete with a person (either a yogi or street performer, hard to say…) doing a headstand on a bench in front of the Toronto sign. A perfect introduction.
The Foodie
Next up, we have a picture of what looks like a sort of seafood scampi with a creamy pasta, along with the caption “???Red lobster..ой ой ой”. Based on what I hear about Tuesday night’s performance, perhaps this dinner is the secret to opera legendom. Red Lobster it is! (Sorry, independent chefs of the city.)
The Diva
Following dinner, Ms. Netrebko and Mr. Eyvazov posted lovely backstage pictures at the Four Seasons Centre in their full performance regalia, as well as with their colleague, legendary Siberian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Some of the vantage points are a bit low, perhaps hinting at more shots by young Tiago. One photo is captioned, “Let’s rock tonight” – which is exactly what they did.
The Tourist
With a magnificent concert in tow, Ms. Netrebko, Mr. Eyvazov and Tiago spent the next day exploring our great city.
First up, the three visited the Royal Conservatory’s Koerner Hall, giving their Instagram fans a video tour of the Marianne McKenna-designed glorious space. Could this hint at a future appearance in the intimate hall? Toronto music lovers can dare to dream…
Next, the three checked out Casa Loma, or “Yusif’s dream home” as Ms. Netrebko captions her photo. The eccentric Sir Henry Pellatt probably slept happily in his grave last night knowing the house he could never afford to live in serves as a dream home to Toronto’s visiting opera stars.
The Hipster
After checking out the castle, Ms. Netrebko, Mr. Eyvazov and Tiago went for more of a local tour of the city, hitting crucial spots like Kensington Market, Graffiti Alley, and the Distillery District. First up, we see Ms. Netrebko in her oversized, presumably designer shades lip synching along with a Kensington busker singing Bruno Mars. For a woman who can easily sing over a hundred-piece orchestra, her humility in giving the busker space to sing uninterrupted is refreshing.
Afterward, the two popped by Graffiti Alley off Spadina, where Ms. Netrebko posed for high fashion shots in her oversized shades and colourful outfits, changing from her sweater embroidered with what looks like two chickens into a dark scarf and dramatic, richly hued patterned jacket for her second shot.
The Lover
For her final stop, we see Ms. Netrebko and Mr. Eyvazov placing a lock on the Distillery’s row of “love locks,” with “Anna + Yusif + Tiago” and a heart written on it. Ms. Netrebko’s caption? A simple heart and red lips emoji. Be still, our adoring, Torontonians hearts.
Come back soon, Netrebko-Eyvazov family!
Have another COFFEE BREAK HERE.
#LUDWIGVAN
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