News
UNESCO Artist for Peace Herman Makarenko directed the premiere of Creonte, Dmytro Bortnyansky’s first opera revived by UNESCO
The project, “Returning to the World of Dmytro Bortnyansky’s First Opera Creonte”, led by UNESCO Artist for Peace Herman Makarenko, has received UNESCO patronage.
On 11 November 2024, the opera’s world premiere was held at the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine in Kyiv, giving members of the diplomatic corps and the media the opportunity to experience this masterpiece of Ukrainian and European cultural heritage.
Key figures addressing the audience included Ukraine’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Andrii Sybiha; Mr. Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture and Ms. Sneška Quaedvlieg-Mihailovic, Secretary General of Europa Nostra, UNESCO’s official partner.
This historic occasion underscores the importance of preserving and protecting cultural heritage - a core priority of UNESCO’s mission.
A Lost Treasure Rediscovered
Dmytro Bortnyansky composed Creonte at the age of 25 during his time in Italy. Its premiere in 1776 at Venice’s Teatro San Benedetto was met with great acclaim, and subsequent performances were planned across Europe. However, shortly after its debut, the handwritten score mysteriously disappeared.
For nearly 250 years, the opera was considered lost, until its manuscript was rediscovered by the Kyiv Classic Orchestra team in 2024 among the archives of the Ajuda Library in Lisbon, Portugal. This remarkable find, preserved in the musical collections of the Portuguese Royal Court, set the stage for an intensive restoration effort to bring the work back to life.
The premiere of Creonte not only celebrates the revival of a forgotten masterpiece but also serves as a testament to international collaboration in the name of cultural preservation.
