“Odessa Opera is always with you.”
On the website of the Ukrainian Lyric Theater, the message is clear.
After several months of interruption due to the Russian invasion and the threat hanging over this strategic port in Ukraine, the company, the orchestra and the ballet of the city find their audience again.
Saturday will be dancing with
Don Quixote
;
Sunday opera with
Carmen.
The story of the most famous gypsy, who fights fiercely to maintain her freedom and independence, is a symbol for this country at war for its survival.
The organizers of the "International Opera Awards", world opera prizes awarded Monday evening in Madrid, made no mistake in crowning with a prize two Ukrainian lyrical companies "
for their courage and their resistance
" in the face of war in their country.
The Opera of Lviv (in the west of the country) and that of Odessa (on the shores of the Black Sea) received the prize for the best opera company during a ceremony at the Royal Theater in Madrid.
This is the first time that two opera companies have jointly received this award.
"We come from cities where the streets are dark, but our souls are full of light... Today our music buzzes everywhere to the noise of electricity generators, but it is the music of our survival, of our life,”
said Oksana Taranenko, stage director at the Odessa National Opera, as the representatives of the two companies received their prizes with a standing ovation.
The award recognizes "
their courage and resilience as they continue to perform despite the dangers and damage caused by the war
" that began in February with the Russian invasion, said John Allison, director of
Opera
magazine. and president of the jury, during the award ceremony.
Although these two operas had to close at the start of the war, the two companies, whose representatives traveled to Madrid to receive this award, have recently resumed and staged "
benchmark productions
", added John Allison.
"
I am delighted that we have been able to recognize the work of two illustrious Ukrainian companies, which continue to courageously provide excellent quality work in impossible conditions
”, concluded the president of the jury.
Read alsoA star dancer of the kyiv Opera dies in combat in the war in Ukraine
The "International Opera Awards", which are among the most prestigious awards in the opera world, were founded in 2013 by British businessman Harry Hyman and John Allison.
Monday's evening, hosted by BBC presenter Petroc Trelawny, marked the first time the ceremony was held outside London.
In a nod to the host city, pieces of Zarzuela, a Spanish tradition that combines elements of popular music and traditional dance, enlivened the evening, alternating with tunes by Mozart, Verdi or Puccini.
Samoan tenor Pene Pati won
Opera Magazine's Readers' Choice Award,
the only one to be decided by popular vote instead of a jury.
Italian Daniele Rustioni won the conductor's prize and British opera singer Nardus Williams was crowned rising star.
Soprano Sabine Devieilhe and baritone Stéphane Degout won the singer and singer awards.