Under ordinary circumstances, it takes ten years to be granted Austrian citizenship. But the process can be accelerated for athletes, artists, and other prominent figures. According to ORF, Netrebko will likely be naturalized with six months.

The switch in citizenship would simplify Netrebko's life as a performing artist; as an Austrian, she would be able to travel freely within the European Union.

Born in Krasnodar, Russia, Netrebko studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory and won the 1993 Glinka Competition. Once a floor cleaner at the Mariinsky Theater, she made her debut at the opera house in 1994. She was awarded the State Prize of the Russian Federation last June.