Ukrainian singer reveals how Russian artists continue to impose their culture at concerts abroad

The world's most famous Ukrainian opera singer, Liudmyla Monastyrska, tours extensively in Europe and the United States. The artist stunned fans with her confession that works by Russian composers are still present on the world's famous stages.

Liudmila Monastyrska spoke about this in an interview with OBOZ.UA. The performer says that theaters are cheating on purpose.

"They don't care much," Monastyrska says, "They don't separate Boris Godunov, Nabucco, or Traviata on principle. That's why there are plenty of Russian works performed there. Some countries may not invite Anna Netrebko, but the works of Boris Godunov, Khovanshchina or Eugene Onegin do not disappear from the repertoire. In Ukraine, as you know, everything Russian has been removed from the repertoire. We have our own wonderful music, including Leontovych, Skoryk, Vedel, Bortnianskyi, Berezovskyi and Lysenko. The same "Melodiia" (Melody) by Skoryk that I performed on the 30th anniversary of Independence at the Olympic Stadium is a hit all over the world. Our composers are no worse and they wrote brilliant works. We have something to be proud of, we just need to promote ours."

"It's no secret that Russia has been imposing its culture for decades, investing a lot of money in artists," continues Liudmyla Monastyrska, "This is a kind of weapon on their part. I have been shouting about this for many years. Both the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should get involved and support our artists. There are not so many of us, including opera artists who represent Ukraine in the world. There are less than 10 of us. Speaking for myself, I don't feel any kind of extreme support at the state level. For example, if an ambassador or cultural attaché came to my performance. I perform in many theaters. And these are isolated cases, for example, Serhii Kyslytsia, the permanent representative of Ukraine to the UN, attends my performances in New York. And the Russians, even if it's not Netrebko, but someone of a lower rank who sings, have whole delegations with armfuls of flowers. And the audience sees it."

Read the full interview with Liudmyla Monastyrska on OBOZ.UA

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