Ukrainian Director Refuses to Stage Opera in Israel Due to Involvement of Russians

Ukrainian director Yevhen Lavrenchuk has cancelled his contract to stage George Frideric Handel's opera Rinaldo in Israel because of the presence of Russians in the team of directors and performers.

The Gaze reports on this with reference to the director's post on Facebook.

‘I was supposed to stage Handel's opera Rinaldo in Israel, the contract with the Jerusalem Lyric Opera & Festival was signed, the premieres were scheduled for July in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. My only condition was that there should be no representatives of the Russian Federation among the performers,’ Lavrenchuk said.

He noted that he had been preparing for the production at the Jerusalem Lyric Opera Festival for several months. Together with the conductor, they selected performers from all over the world.

‘I managed to involve a wonderful Ukrainian countertenor Vladyslav Shkarupil, who now lives and works in Stuttgart,’ the director said.

At the same time, he said, the organisers began to insist on involving two performers whose Facebook profiles ‘indicated Moscow residences’. Representatives of the company tried to assure them that the performers had Israeli passports, and that what they wrote on social media was not legally binding and could not be the cause of any claims.

However, since the performers publicly identify themselves as representatives of the aggressor country, Yevhen Lavrenchuk does not consider it possible to continue cooperation and initiated the cancellation of the contract, as did Vladyslav Shkarupilo.

The other day, Lavrenchuk learned that the organisers had invited Russian director Daniil Dmitriev to direct the production.

‘I have no regrets. We may be losing contracts, money and the opportunity to work, but we do not lose our dignity and do not betray our values. I remind my fellow Ukrainians from the opera company: be careful, be responsible!’ - wrote the Ukrainian director.