However, the recital was marred by the protest of antagonists who first contested the Russian superstar accused of being too close to Putin and then displayed from the stage the banner «NATO Out of Naples». The protest, however, was quelled by the audience of the Massimo of Naples who booed the protesters and reserved applause only for Anna Netrebko.
Just as the entire cast was applauded at the end of the opera. There were several VIPs present at the premiere of La Gioconda. Among them Julien Benhamou from the artistic direction of the Aix en Provence festival, Nikolaus Bachler artistic director of the Salzburg Easter Festival, Joan Matabosch artistic director of the Teatro Real in Madrid, Nassib Abou-khalil from Nokia, the directors Jean Luis Grinda, former director of the Opera of Monte Carlo, and Jean Luc Tardieu, some entrepreneurs contributing to the "Corporate Concerts" project, Fulvio Scannapieco, Gianfranco D’Amato, Massimo Moschini, Alfonso Artiaco, the rapper Lucariello, the director Jean Luc Tardieu, directors and presidents of Campanian conservatories, mayors of the area. And then again the prosecutor Conzo, Alessandro Barbano, Carlo Ruosi, Laura Servidei, Pia De Brantes.