Alla Zagaykevych: Opera 'Vasyl Vyshyvany', king of Ukraine

The story of Wilhelm van Habsburg is one of a passionate European romantic who fought for Ukraine’s independence. A story of a poet who learned Ukrainian, versed and spoke in it with his brothers-in-arms. A story of an archduke who changed his noble attire for a traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt vyshyvanka which better suited his freedom-loving heart. Vyshyvanyi’s figure is not only uniting Ukraine and Austria. It proves Ukraine belonged to Europe already a century ago, long before the concept of ‘European values’ became a modern political mainstream.
Karl von Habsburg:

Wilhelm van Habsburg, Vasyl Vyshyvanyi, as he is called in Ukraine, could have lived a comfortable life after the end of the Austrian-Hungarian monarchy. The family had no political position, the Ukraine- where Wilhelm served as a soldier during World War I.- was taken by the totalitarian soviet regime. But Wilhelm did not give up. He supported the movement for independence and freedom in Ukraine, he joined the resistance against the totalitarian regimes of Nazi-Germany and Soviet Russia. The KGB kidnapped him in Vienna after World War 11. I would say it was a sign of history, that he was taken to Kyiv where he died as a consequence of KGB torture. I want to thank the Honorary Consulate of Austria in Kharkiv for the initiative for an opera “Vyshyvaniy. The king of Ukraine”. I am sure this opera will be a great success!

Opera ”Vyshyvaniy. The King of Ukraine” combines world trends of modern academic and electroacoustic music and is based on Ukrainian material both in its plot and place of action, in its musical component. In terms of music, both modern acoustic sound with advanced voice capabilities and techniques, as well as electroacoustic technologies are used.
The production involves the creation of large-scale scenery and has mass scenes with two hundred performers. Over three hundred costumes have been produced, together with a unique three-tiered stage set. The opera promises to become a truly unique performance. The opera is produced by the Kharkiv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after M. Lysenko j “Skhid Opera”, one of the oldest and best known national musical theaters.
Opera “Vyshyvaniy. The King of Ukraine” is produced on the initiative and upon order of the Honorary Consul of Austria in Kharkiv Vsevolod Kozhemyako.
Alla Zagaykevych
Representative of the new generation of the Ukrainian school of composers, whose work organically combines the technological radicalism of electronic music and the chthonic features of authentic Ukrainian folklore. Author of numerous chamber, symphonic and electroacoustic works; author of film music for a number of iconic films: “Mamai”, “The Guide” by Oles Sanin, “The Living Fire” by Ostap Kostyuk and “The Word House” by Taras Tomenko.
More about Alla Zagaykevych