A more abnormal announcement immediately follows. “Dear visitor, our event will be suspended in the event of an air raid alarm. Dancers and spectators must go to the bomb shelter located in the theater,” he told the crowd – a painful reminder that this is not an ordinary night in the theater. Then the lights go out, the orchestra starts playing and a dancer appears on stage from the wings. The Lviv National Opera reopens in the hope that art can help heal the wounds of war The Lviv National Opera House was forced to close its doors on February 24, when Russia launched an unprovoked and violent attack on Ukraine. He welcomed the theater lovers again for his first full production on Friday night.
“In one way or another, war affects us all,” opera artistic director Vasyl Vovkun told CNN. “We understand that light must conquer darkness, that life must conquer death, and the mission of theater is to confirm this.” The windows of the theater are glued to protect them in the event of a Russian air raid. Made by: Serhii Korovayny for CNN The city of Lviv in western Ukraine has emerged almost completely unscathed as fierce fighting has devastated cities in other parts of the country. Thousands of fleeing civilians crossed the city before traveling to neighboring Poland and beyond. For those left in this resilient city, the inhabitants are slowly learning to live with the war. Cafes and restaurants in the city center are once again bustling, the streets are full of traffic again and residents have returned for occasional walks in the parks.
Providing a space of consolation in the midst of the raging conflict is the driving force behind the resumption of performances, Vovkun says. Vasyl Vovkun, 64, artistic director of the Lviv Opera House, poses for a portrait in the theater. Made by: Serhii Korovayny for CNN A child is waiting for the show to restart after the break. Made by: Serhii Korovayny for CNN Daryna Kirik, 21, a leading ballet dancer at the Lviv Opera, prepares for the show. Made by: Serhii Korovayny for CNN To begin, he chose a well-to-do classical ballet, “Giselle”. A two-act ballet, it tells the story of a beautiful peasant woman who dies prematurely after being betrayed by the man she loves.
The 64-year-old former Minister of Culture and Tourism explains: “Giselle also has all the nuances of joy and sorrow, there is death and there is the victory of love. And in fact, this issue is consistent today. Even when we hear a lot about death, we still hope, both in this work and in life, that love will win, life will win “. While his choice has proved popular – with tickets running out – many of the seats remain vacant. “Even though we can only accept 300 people, because we can only take so many to the shelter, it is still a big mission for us,” Vovkun continues. “To give people something to forget about the news … at this difficult time, because there is no good news in the war. And to be spiritually resurrected during the war by looking at this work of art.” The cast of the show makes the final preparations before the curtain opens. Made by: Serhii Korovayny for CNN The presentation of a good performance is of utmost importance for the army of theater artists. Hours before the show, the production staff checked the lighting three times, while others made sure that every detail in the set was perfect. In the bowels of the theater, customers were coming and going up and down the stairs, tutus in hand. Meanwhile, the dancers mingled in the corridors, with their precious feet in protective slippers. An employee prepares costumes for the evening production. Made by: Serhii Korovayny for CNN Dancers Daria Kosmina and Dmytro Kolomiets are rehearsing for an upcoming performance. Made by: Serhii Korovayny for CNN Opera singer Roland Marchuk is training in his office. Made by: Serhii Korovayny for CNN From one of the rehearsal rooms, a bass voice echoed down the narrow staircase to the rooftop rehearsal rooms. Elsewhere in the building, ballerinas sat quietly as stylists teased their hair before smoothing and pinning it in place. Maria Malanchyn, 68, worked as a make-up artist at the cultural institution for five decades. He tells CNN that opera is needed now more than ever. “In my opinion, culture is mandatory, always, more now,” he explains. “Now we have a lot of displaced people, it is very difficult for them. But we show them that life can go on.” A dancer dances while playing the classical ballet “Giselle”. Made by: Serhii Korovayny for CNN The dancers prepare shortly before the show begins. Made by: Serhii Korovayny for CNN Daryna Kirik and Olexandr Omelchenko present the ballet “Giselle” – the first full-length performance at the Lviv National Opera since the beginning of the war. Made by: Serhii Korovayny for CNN 21-year-old Daryna Kirik plays the leading role of “Giselle”. Like many others in the country, her life has been turned upside down by the Bucha war and horror, where mass graves have recently been found. “Dancing helps to distract from what is happening,” says the soloist. “Most of my relatives are now in Kyiv and the Kiev region. My mom and my grandmother and her sister survived the occupation of Bukha. My mother managed to evacuate herself and the pets. She is now safe in Poland restoring its nerves. “ For Kirik, returning to the stage gave her a renewed sense of purpose and an opportunity to express her feelings through her art. She says that what she likes most about playing Giselle is “the opportunity to express emotions on the scene of madness. All the negative emotions that accumulate over a long period of time can flow along with those feelings of the character.” The historic theater has re-launched a performance program to offer a break to those who need it most, says its artistic director. Made by: Serhii Korovayny for CNN Only 300 seats were allowed to be sold for the show – the capacity of the opera bomb shelter. Made by: Serhii Korovayny for CNN Two dancers hug as part of the show. Made by: Serhii Korovayny for CNN And for a few hours the audience is transported away from the chaos of reality. The crowd is captured with every jump, elevation and arabesque. It is only a two-hour show, but it seems that it achieved its goal of raising the mood of the attendees. “Once you visit this place, you realize that life can not be defeated. Our lives can not be bombed or destroyed by missiles or chemical or nuclear weapons,” said Victoria Palamarchuk, a 50-year-old journalist who currently lives with the extended family in Lviv after leaving her home in the central Zhytomyr region. With a warm smile, he adds: “Life can not be defeated as long as there are such places – theaters, opera and ballet theaters – while people come here and feel joy with these sounds.”