Comeback of compatriots

The first time the opera by Heorhii Maiboroda was performed on the Kyiv stage was in 1975. It was an ornament to the repertoire for more than ten seasons. By the way, for a long time this work, which the maestro dedicated to the 1500th anniversary of Kyiv, was the only opera based on a historical story on the capital’s stage. Legendary pages from the history of Kyivan Rus’ seem to revive in the performance. In 2007, the epic opera returned to the repertoire. It was staged by director Anatolii Solovianenko, conductor Mykola Diadiura, and choirmaster Lev Venedyktov; Tadei and Mykhailo Rindzaks were the stage designers, the lead role was performed by the bass Serhii Mahera. In the performance Yaroslav the Wise appears in different moments of his difficult and eventful life: as an outstanding statesman of the 11th century, an erudite, a politician and a loving father. Yaroslav was the first to consolidate diplomatic alliances by giving his daughters in marriage to foreign sovereigns. The opera also reconstructs the image of the builder of the St. Sophia Cathedral Zhureiko, and philosophical themes are raised in conversations between the prince and the monk Sylvester (this image is associated with the historical figure of Metropolitan Ilarion, the first Rus’ citizen Yaroslav the Wise appointed to the chair against the will of the Patriarch of Constantinople, who controlled the spiritual life of Rus’-Ukraine).

The theatre prepared a surprise for fans of ballet: on September 7, in Forest Song by Mykhailo Skorulsky the audience will see the famous Ukrainian dancer and now a Covent Garden soloist Ivan Putrov in the role of Lukash. In recent years the administration of the National Opera began to replenish the repertoire with works by our compatriots (classical and contemporary). In November, the premiere of The Lord of Borysfen will take place. This ballet was specially written for the theater by the famous Kyiv’s composer Yevhen Stankovych (Viktor Yaremenko will be choreographer, Oleksii Baklan will be conductor, and the artists, Chebykin and Tsyhulko brothers, work on set design). The play goes back to ancient times (approximately the 5th century AD) and tells the story of the legendary prince Kyi — one of the founders of Kyiv. This year the administration of the National Opera also plans to update the repertoire with Slavonic classic, and, in a cooperation with the Mariinsky Theatre, it will stage Ruslan and Ludmila by Mikhail Glinka or Khovanshchina by Modest Mussorgsky (negotiations are currently under way).

On September 8 a grand concert will take place: arias from operas by Verdi and Boris Godunov by Modest Mussorgsky will be performed by the global star, the famous Georgian bass Paata Burchuladze, who will be accompanied by the leading musical group of our country: the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine headed by Volodymyr Sirenko.

In October, a tour of the opera company and symphony orchestra of the theater led by conductor Volodymyr Kozhukhar to Japan will take place. In their program Kyiv’s performers will show their resonance productions: Aida, Turandot, Carmen, Boris Godunov, as well as a concert program consisting of works by Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff.

In December, the theater will invite the spectators to the updated version (directed by Volodymyr Behma) of the opera Rustic Chivalry by Pietro Mascagni, and in May choreographer Valentyn Yelizariev will show his version of the famous ballet The Creation by Andrii Petrov.

The theater’s administration promises to follow traditions: it will hold the Ballet Festival in memory of the famous choreographer Anatolii Shekera, and will revive the Serge Lifar International Competition and Festival (the creative director of the latter was the famous art critic, president of the Ukrainian Academy of Dance Yurii Stanishevsky, who died last year), which gained popularity among young dancers and choreographers from many countries.