The Kyiv Opera group was formally established in the summer of 1867, and is the third oldest in
Ukraine, after
Odessa Opera
, logo_caption = Logo
, image = Operniy-5.jpg
, image_size = 270px
, caption = Odesa Theatre of Opera and Ballet
, address = Tchaikovsky Lane 1
, city = Odesa
, country =
, designation = Architectural Landmark
, coordinates =
, archite ...
and
Lviv Opera
The Solomiya Krushelnytska Lviv State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet ( uk, Львівський Національний академічний театр опери та балету імені Соломії Крушельницької ...
.
The Kyiv Opera Company perform at the National Opera House of Ukraine named after
Taras Shevchenko in
Kyiv. The opera in 2 acts, ''
Natalka Poltavka
''Natalka Poltavka'' ( uk, Наталка Полтавка, ) is a Ukrainian play written by Ivan Kotlyarevsky.
The Opera in 2 acts, ''Natalka Poltavka'', was the last scheduled performance by The Kyiv Opera Company at the National Opera House o ...
'', was the last scheduled performance before the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
.
History
Early history: 1867 - 20th century

Established in the summer of 1867 by
Ferdinand Berger
Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "protection", "peace" (PIE "to love, to make peace") or alternatively "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "co ...
(? - 1875). Berger succeeded in inviting many talented singers, musicians, and conductors, and the city council (duma) had offered the newly created troupe to use the City Theatre (constructed in 1856, architect I. Shtrom) for their performances. Officially, the theatre was named the City Theatre but was most commonly referred to as the Russian Opera. The day of the first performance, November 8 (October 27 old style), 1867 was made a city holiday. The performance of the opera ''
Askold's Tomb
Askold's Grave ( uk, Аскольдова могила, translit=Askoldova Mohyla) is a historical park on the steep right bank of the Dnipro River in Kyiv between Mariinskyi Park and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra complex.
Overview
The park was cre ...
'' by
Alexey Verstovsky
Alexey Nikolayevich Verstovsky (russian: Алексéй Никола́евич Верстóвский) () was a Russian composer, musical bureaucrat and rival of Mikhail Glinka.
Biography
Alexey Verstovsky was born at Seliverstovo Estate, Kozlo ...
was the troupe's debut. The initial success is attributed to the vocal talents of that time of O. Satagano-Gorchakova, F. L'vov, M. Agramov but also the captivating plot taken from some principal pages of the ancient history of the city.
Early performances were mostly Russian operas, including ''Ruslan and Ludmila'' by
Mikhail Glinka
Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka ( rus, link=no, Михаил Иванович Глинка, Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka., mʲɪxɐˈil ɪˈvanəvʲɪdʑ ˈɡlʲinkə, Ru-Mikhail-Ivanovich-Glinka.ogg; ) was the first Russian composer to gain wide recogni ...
, ''
Rusalka
In Slavic folklore, the rusalka (plural: rusalky/rusalki; ; pl, rusałka}) is a typically feminine entity, often malicious toward mankind and frequently associated with water, with counterparts in other parts of Europe, such as the French Melus ...
'' by
Alexander Dargomyzhsky, ''Maccabees'' by
Anton Rubinstein and ''The Power of the Fiend'' by
A. Serov, as well as translated European operas including ''The Barber of Seville'' by
Rossini
Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards f ...
, ''The Marriage of Figaro'' by
Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...
, ''Der Freischütz'' by
Weber
Weber (, or ; German: ) is a surname of German origin, derived from the noun meaning " weaver". In some cases, following migration to English-speaking countries, it has been anglicised to the English surname 'Webber' or even 'Weaver'.
Notable pe ...
, ''Lucia di Lammermoor'' by
Donizetti, and operas by
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...
, which became the favorite of the Kyivites.
On February 4, 1896, after a morning performance of ''Eugene Onegin'' by
Tchaikovsky, a fire erupted from an unextinguished candle in the theatre. The fire consumed the whole building within several hours. One of the largest musical libraries in Europe along with numerous costumes and stage props of many performances were lost during the fire. After the fire of the City Theatre, the troupe performed on other stages for several years, including Bergonie's Theatre (now the National Theatre of Russian Drama named after
Lesya Ukrainka
Lesya Ukrainka ( uk, Леся Українка ; born Larysa Petrivna Kosach, uk, Лариса Петрівна Косач; – ) was one of Ukrainian literature's foremost writers, best known for her poems and plays. She was also an active ...
), Solovtsov's Theatre (now the National Theatre named after
Ivan Franko) and even on the arena of the famous Krutikov's Circus.
Early 20th century
After the fire, the City Council had announced the international competition to design a new building for the Opera Theatre in Kyiv. The winning proposal was by
Victor Schröter
Victor Alexandrovich Schröter (russian: Виктор Александрович Шрётер; 1839–1901) was a prominent Russian architect of German ethnicity.
Career
Schröter was born 27 April 1839, in St. Petersburg of Baltic German ances ...
. The exterior was designed in Neo-Renaissance style and had accounted for the needs of the actors and the spectators. The interior was redesigned in a classical style and called ''Viennese Modern''. However, his greatest achievement is considered to be the stage - one of the largest in Europe designed to the latest engineering standards.
On , the solemn opening of the new premise of the theatre took place with a performance of cantata Kyiv by composer Wilhelm Hartweld (1859 - 1927) and a presentation of the opera ''Life for the Tsar'' by M. Glinka.
On , there was a performance of
Rimsky-Korsakov's
''The Tale of Tsar Saltan'' at the
Kyiv Opera House in the presence of the Tsar and his two oldest daughters, the Grand Duchesses
Olga
Olga may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Olga (name), a given name, including a list of people and fictional characters named Olga or Olha
* Michael Algar (born 1962), English singer also known as "Olga"
Places
Russia
* Olga, Russia, ...
and
Tatiana. The theater was occupied by 90 men posted as interior guards. During the intermission of a performance
Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin
Pyotr Arkadyevich Stolypin ( rus, Пётр Арка́дьевич Столы́пин, p=pʲɵtr ɐrˈkadʲjɪvʲɪtɕ stɐˈlɨpʲɪn; – ) was a Russian politician and statesman. He served as the third prime minister and the interior minist ...
was killed.
According to
Alexander Spiridovich, after the second act "Stolypin was standing in front of the ramp separating the parterre from the orchestra, his back to the stage. On his right were
Baron Freedericks and
Gen. Suhkomlinov." His personal bodyguard had gone to smoke. Stolypin was shot twice, once in the arm and once in the chest by
Dmitry Bogrov, a leftist revolutionary, trying to
rehabilitate himself. Bogrov ran to one of the entries and was subsequently caught. "He
tolypinturned toward the Imperial Box, then seeing the Tsar who had entered the box, he made a gesture with both hands to tell the Tsar to go back." The orchestra began to play "God Save the Tsar." The doctors hoped Stolypin would recover, but despite never losing consciousness, his condition deteriorated. The next day, the distressed Tsar knelt at Stolypin's hospital bedside and kept repeating the words "Forgive me". Stolypin died three days later.
In the first decade of the 20th century, the Kyiv Opera Theatre attracted the most outstanding Ukrainian and Russian singers, including O. Petlyash, P. Tsecevich, K. Voronets, M. Medvedev, K. Brun, O. Mosin and O. Kamionsky and famous opera stars from the West often came on tours. Several unusual for the time performances took place on the stage: ''Die Walkure'' by
Wagner, ''Sadko'' by
Rimsky-Korsakov and ''Mefistofele'' by
Arrigo Boito.
Ukrainian state
In 1917, the opera house was used not only for art but also for congresses. In particular, in 1917 the Second All-Ukrainian Military Congress was held in the Opera House well known for the
First Universal of the Ukrainian Central Council
The First Universal of the Ukrainian Central Council ( uk, Перший Універсал Української Центральної Ради, translit=Pershyi Universal Ukrainskoi Tsentralnoi Rady) is a state-political act, the universal of t ...
proclamation.
At the time
Ukrainian State, the Kyiv Opera was called the ''Ukrainian Drama and Opera Theater ''. Operas were staged in Ukrainian translation, particularly in 1918 were staged: "Faust", "La Traviata", "Bohemia", "Madame Butterfly" and others. It was written in Ukrainian press that Ukrainian State Opera has every reason and potential to become one of the best theaters of its time, while warning that "Ukrainian State Opera should not repeat the history of Petrograd state theaters, which gave foreign culture and citizenship culture…" and stressing that it is necessary to "organize the work of the opera artistically strong, national and cultural".
Soviet time
In After Ukraine was annexed by Soviet Union the theater was nationalized and named as K. Liebknecht State Opera House. . In 1926 it was renamed as Kyiv State Academic Ukrainian Opera, and in
1934
Events
January–February
* January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established.
* January 15 – The 8.0 1934 Nepal–Bihar earthquake, Nepal–Bihar earthquake strik ...
, when Kyiv was returned the capital status - Academic Opera and Ballet Theater of the USSR. In
1936
Events
January–February
* January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...
the theater was awarded
Order of Lenin, and in
1939
This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history.
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* January 1
** Third Reich
*** Jews are forbidden to ...
was named after
Taras Shevchenko.
According to the Decree of the People's Commissar of 1926 all the operas were performed in Ukrainian language. This inspired the establishment of the full value of Ukrainian culture and the Ukrainian language. The tradition of performing opera in Ukrainian translations succeeded until the early 1990s.
In 1981 the world premiere of a ballet based on the life of
Olga of Kiev was performed to commemorate the 1500th anniversary of the city.
[Черкашина-Губаренко М. Р. ''Театральні університети Володимира Рожка''. Часопис Національної музичної академії України імені П. І. Чайковського. 2016. № 3 (32). с. 52.]
1990–2010s
In 1991–1999, the National Opera was headed by
Anatoliy Mokrenko. At this time, the theater is gradually beginning to abandon Ukrainian-language translations, which was explained by economic difficulties and the need for touring activities for artists survival.
See also
*
Kyiv Ballet
References
Notes
External links
Kyiv.ua: Virtual tour of the National Opera HouseWorldwalk.info: Shevchenko National Opera House of Ukraine (Kyiv)
{{authority control
Opera houses in Ukraine
Ukrainian opera companies
Theatres in Kyiv
Shevchenkivskyi District, Kyiv
Music in Kyiv
Ukrainian music
Musical groups from Kyiv
Musical groups established in 1867
1860s establishments in Ukraine
1867 establishments in the Russian Empire
Theatres completed in 1901
Art Nouveau theatres
Art Nouveau architecture in Kyiv
Volodymyrska Street
Institutions with the title of National in Ukraine