Opera in the basement of a bombarded theater

The second largest Ukrainian city of Harkov had almost half a million inhabitants before the start of Russian invasion in 2022, with more than 1.7 million people home. In addition to an important role in administration, science, education, industry and transport, there was also a place of art. But the unfavorable location barely 30 kilometers away from the border with Russia, from where the missiles reach the Harmov in seconds, has completely changed life.

Many residents fled to other parts of Ukraine and abroad, the city administration and schools moved underground, to the subway, shelters and cellars. Underground, in the giant cellars under the central building, the National Academic Theater for Opera and Ballet recently began operating again. There is almost no infrastructure in the basement, not the right stage, but this one is only indicated by a concrete floor. Of course, there is no traditional theater café where caviar and sparkling wine would serve during breaks. The music orchestra must also improvise, as there is constantly noise of ventilation and electricity generators in the basement. But viewers don’t mind. Shows that can be accompanied by 400 people on simple black chairs are mostly sold out as it was Sunday Traviata by Julia Antonovo in the lead role; Her husband is a rescuer and together in the city near the front, they raise two young children.

The director of the theater Igor Tulusov is to journalists of German Der Spiegla said that a third less people are working in the theater than before the war. Some went out of the country, some called into the army, at least one died on the front. His wife also moved to Austria, where they have grandchildren, settling with a cat in one of the theater rooms. The building was often the goal of Russian firing and it is clear why. The giant socialist style building, which began to be built in the 1960s and completed only in 1991, is an easy target. It is high as a tenth -storey tower, the roof surface is as large as a football field. Although the Russians usually claim that they only bang in military goals or such an army, lies on the roof of the house of art, their unexploded rocket. Every performance in the basement of the Harvian opera and ballet theater, in such circumstances, is a small victory of Ukraine in more than three years of war with a greater, numerous, military and economically stronger Eastern neighbor.