On Monday, 11 November 2024, the Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a landmark artistic event — a closed premiere of Dmytro Bortnianskyi’s First Opera Creon in a concert performance.
Herman Makarenko, People’s Artist of Ukraine, conductor of the National Opera of Ukraine, UNESCO Artist for Peace, and Ambassador of Ukrainian Culture, launched the project — The Return of Dmytro Bortnianskyi’s First Opera Creon to the World — in cooperation with the Kyiv Classic Orchestra and the YUNA National Music Award. The State Enterprise ‘Directorate-General for Rendering Services to Diplomatic Missions’ and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine supported the event under the auspices of UNESCO, in particular Director-General Audrey Azoulay, and additional support from the Europa Nostra — pan-European federation of organisations and institutions in the field of cultural and natural heritage.
Dmytro Bortnianskyi, a Ukrainian Baroque composer, singer, and conductor, was born in 1751 in Hlukhiv. At 25, he wrote Creon in Italy. The opera premiered in 1776 at Venice’s San Benedetto Theatre, yet the manuscript remained lost for over 200 years. Centuries later, Dr Olha Shumilina, a Ukrainian musicologist and professor at the Mykola Lysenko Lviv National Music Academy, discovered the manuscript of one of Ukraine’s earliest operas in the archive of the Ajuda Library in Lisbon.
During the briefing, project initiator Herman Makarenko and Dr Olha Shumilina received a certificate from the Ukrainian National Office for Intellectual Property and Innovations, officially registering the copyright of Creon’s arrangement.
The following speakers delivered opening remarks: Mariana Betsa, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine; Ernesto Ottone, Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO; Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailović, Secretary-General Europa Nostra; Hennadii Nadolenko, Director of the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
“Today, the war is not only fought on the front lines. A hybrid war is underway, with our neighbour attempting to erase our identity, culture, and spirituality alongside our territory. We face the ideological dominance of the ‘russian world’ doctrine. Yet today, we bring back to the world the first opera by Ukrainian composer Dmytro Bortnianskyi, whose work has influenced European and global musical culture. This project is a contribution from Ukraine’s musical community in the fight against the russian aggressor. It is a testament to Ukraine’s cultural heritage, allowing us to recognise the world-class treasures created by our people over centuries,”
stated Herman Makarenko. He added that Creon serves as a powerful cultural diplomacy tool, as Bortnianskyi’s legacy connects four countries: Ukraine (his birthplace), Poland (his ancestral roots), Italy (where he composed his early works), and Portugal (where Creon was rediscovered).
Herman Makarenko conducted this world heritage piece, featuring performances by the National Presidential Orchestra and the Dumka National Honoured Academic Capella of Ukraine. Serhii Bortnyk, laureate of international competitions and soloist with the National Philharmonic of Ukraine, sang the role of Creon. Olha Fomichova, Honoured Artist of Ukraine and soloist of the National Opera of Ukraine, performed as Antigone. Danylo Kotok, soloist with the Kyiv Municipal Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, played Haemon; Stanislav Pashchuk, soloist and laureate of international competitions, performed as Adrastus; Marharyta Bilokiz, mezzo-soprano and laureate of international competitions, took the role of Ismene. Olha Shadrina-Lychak, Head of the Ancient Music Department and PhD in Musicology, performed the harpsichord solo.
The closed premiere gathered over 200 distinguished guests, including foreign ambassadors responsible for cultural exchange between Ukraine and the world, diplomats, and high-ranking officials.
