An Opera House in Wartime

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Kyiv Opera continues to perform despite the war. The fifteen members of the company tell of how their art has acquired a new and vital patriotic dimension. Photography © Oleksandra Zlunitsyna.

The Ukrainian National Opera has decided to remove all works linked to Russia from its repertoire. How does the artistic community feel about being separated from a tradition that they they have been immersed in all their lives? Faced with the threat of annihilation, they are reinventing their culture and their identity, and are participating in the rebirth of a nation.

Susanna, Alexis and Oleksii are three Kyiv opera artists exiled to Western Europe. They struggle as best they can with their new lives far from home and they fight every day to ensure that Ukraine and its culture are not forgotten.

A year after the first episode, the creativity and commitment of the artists is steadfast although the war is dragging on, adding to their anxiety and anguish. Passing on their knowledge to the younger generation has become a matter of urgency as the survival of performance art in Ukraine is in danger. Photography © Oleksandra Zlunitsyna.