Stankovych's 'Kavkaz' — new staging marking 30 years since the premiere

The National Opera of Ukraine presents a new staging of Yevhen Stankovych's patriotic oratorio 'Kavkaz' (on Taras Shevchenko texts) marking 30 years since the 1996 premiere. The staging runs on 24 August 2026 on the National Opera main stage on Independence Day. Music director — Mykola Diadiura, stage director — Andriy Zholdak. The oratorio's story is the eternal theme of peoples' freedom against imperial oppression, particularly resonant in the 2022–2026 wartime context. Stankovych, who will personally attend the premiere at age 83, commented: 'In 1996 we wrote «Kavkaz» as historical reflection. In 2026 these Shevchenko words sound as a chronicle of the present — only our right to speak them openly has changed dramatically.' Performing cast: National Opera orchestra and choir, soloists Volodymyr Hryshko (tenor), Anzhelina Shvachka (mezzo), Andriy Maslakov (bass). A staging particularity — Oleksiy Khoroshev's scenography uses projection maps of real satellite images of destroyed Mariupol, Bakhmut, Chasiv-Yar. The staging enters the National Opera's permanent repertoire; a European tour is planned for 2027.