‘This cannot be allowed' — Israeli opera hires Russian singers, Ukrainian director quits in protest
A Ukrainian theater director has refused to stage an opera at the Jerusalem Lyric Opera Studio & Festival in Israel after the organizers of the event hired Russian singers against his wishes.
Eugene Lavrenchuk explained the reason behind his decision in a post on Facebook on April 28, confirming that he would no longer have a role in the staging of George Handel's opera "Rinaldo," the premiere of which is scheduled for July 21 in Tel Aviv.
"Russia is a country that killed millions of people and became known for its brilliant ballet and operas," Lavrenchuk told the Kyiv Independent. "This legitimized Abkhazia, Chechnya, the war in Ukraine, and all the executions, concentration camps, and repressions. Russia did this in (Pyotr) Tchaikovsky's time as well."
"Let Russia return the occupied territories and drown in sanctions, and then fine, I'll be the first to stage Tchaikovsky," he added.
Lavrenchuk told the Kyiv Independent that when he took on the project, he had only one condition for the organizers — no one from Russia could be a member of the cast, even asking for it to be a clause in his contract.
Though it was not written in the contract, Lavrenchuk said the organizers assured him his request would be honored, but when he was sent the text for a promotional poster, it contained the names of two Russian singers among the cast.
"When I noticed the unfamiliar names of singers I had not selected, I thought I had just missed something. But before waving my sword, I decided to check the Facebook pages of these two opera singers. Both are from Russia,' Lavrenchuk told the Kyiv Independent.
"The organizers said (the singers) have Israeli passports, but this does not negate the fact that they publicly position themselves as Russians on social media," he added.
Lavrenchuk asked the Kyiv Independent not to name the opera singers to protect them from backlash.
"It is not acceptable for me, as a Ukrainian living in the war, to work with people who are presented as Russians."
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the citizenship of the two singers, but according to their Facebook pages, both studied in Moscow. One's bio states she lives in Moscow. In 2016, she sang songs about war for Russia's Victory Day, celebrated each year on May 9, and shared photos from Crimea in 2019, visiting it after Russia's occupation.
"The beautiful life in Crimea," she wrote in the caption.
Despite already working remotely from Lviv, Ukraine, on the opera for months, selecting actors from "all over the world," forming a team, and even preparing some of the stage costumes, Lavrenchuk resigned from the project on April 8.
"It is not acceptable for me, as a Ukrainian living in the war, to work with people who are presented as Russians," Lavrenchuk said.
"Today, we cannot stand on the same stage with Russians, regardless of the context, because other people will use it to legitimize the friendship of (Ukrainian and Russian) peoples. One will say that politicians are fighting somewhere else, but the ordinary people are Slavic brothers. This cannot be allowed."
Representatives of the Jerusalem Lyric Opera Studio & Festival, an artistic non-profit organizing opera events, defended their decision to include Russians in the production in a statement emailed to the Kyiv Independent on May 2, saying they "can't accept ultimatums" from artists.
"Our decisions are based solely on artistic excellence, not on nationality, citizenship, or political affiliation," the statement reads.
The Jerusalem Lyric Opera Studio & Festival representatives also pointed out that they organized a solidarity concert in support of the Ukrainian people in May 2022, "in response to the war in Ukraine," and they "stand by that act."
"At the same time, we believe that art must remain a space free from political or national discrimination," they said. "The artists in question are Israeli citizens currently living and working in Israel. While they may hold dual citizenship or have outdated information on their social media profiles, they were selected purely on the basis of their artistic talent and professionalism."
"We regret that Mr. Lavrenchuk chose to withdraw from the production and respect his personal convictions," the statement adds. "However, we cannot accept ultimatums that require us to exclude artists based on their citizenship or place of birth."
Following Lavrenchuk's decision, the rest of the Ukrainians in the team, including the actor Vladyslav Shkarupilo who was supposed to play the central role of Goffredo, also refused to participate.
"At first, there were no problems at all (with the organizers) — everything was as friendly and professional as possible," Shkarupilo told the Kyiv Independent. "But it was a bit improper of the administration to not coordinate these soloists with either the director or the conductor."
For a 24-year-old actor building a career, performing in Rinaldo with Lavrenchuk was a "dream" opportunity, but he felt he had no option but to step down from the role.
"Maybe this is incorrect, but I would like to say that if they don't care who performs, then let's invite some soloists from Gaza or Afghanistan (to the Israeli stage)," he said, alleging that in that case Israeli organizers would have been more sensitive to mixing up soloists of different origin on the cast.
"This is music, this is art, this is something high. Unfortunately, this problem concerns only us. Of course, there are a lot of colleagues in solidarity who understand the difference between Ukraine and Russia," he added.
Lavrenchuk highlighted Israel's own boycotts of works by the German composer Richard Wagner.
"Wagner had nothing to do with the fact that Hitler used his music. But for some reason, out of respect for the Holocaust (victims), Wagner's operas were not performed in Israel for a long time. Because you have to respect people and humanity," he said.
Despite the turmoil, the opera is still going ahead as planned. On April 16 the Jerusalem Lyric Opera & Festival announced they had hired a replacement for Lavrenchuk — Russian director Daniil Dmitriev.
Read also: Ukrainian writer on canceling Russian culture
We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Photos! See All 11 Acts Performing on Night Three of ‘America's Got Talent' 2025
Photos! See All 11 Acts Performing on Night Three of 'America's Got Talent' 2025 originally appeared on Parade. The fun, funny and outrageous acts continue to audition for America's Got Talent as part of its landmark 20th season of the hit competition series with a new judges panel consisting of executive producer Simon Cowell, fan-favorite comedian Howie Mandel, acclaimed actress Sofia Vergara, and singer/songwriter Mel B reclaiming her seat at the judges table after a six-year absence. Tonight's episode features a robotic dance act with mechanical precision, a fresh twist on aerial artistry, a hilarious musical number you won't forget, and a Golden Buzzer moment that'll tug at your heartstrings. Each artist hopes their two minutes in front of the judges will change their lives. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Eleven acts will take the stage tonight with their eyes set on winning the $1 million prize. See their photos and more in the gallery below. View the 14 images of this gallery on the original article Related: Benjamin Hightower – a singer/keyboardist from Tennessee, who was formerly in the Air Force. Boston Dynamics -- a robotic dance act with four-legged mechanical performers. Charity Lockhart – a 49-year-old singer and mother of two. CyrilTakayama – a magician who was born in Hollywood but lives in Japan. Julia and Dmytro Turkeev – a Ukrainian aerial act with a water twist based in Germany. Kennedy and Jay -- a married couple; she's a singer, he plays the keyboard. Leo High School Choir – an all-male 22 member high school choir from the southside of Chicago, IL. Maceo Harrison – a 30-year-old dancer originally from Baltimore, MD, now living in Savannah, GA. Osaka Philharmonic – a comedy harmonica act from Japan. Spaceman Bob – a novelty music act from Phoenix, AZ. Urban Theory – a precision dance troupe from Italy. Related: Watch the Sneak Peek as Urban Theory's Kaleidoscopic Choreography Stuns the America's Got Talent Audience America's Got Talent airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Streams next day on See All 11 Acts Performing on Night Three of 'America's Got Talent' 2025 first appeared on Parade on Jun 10, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Baha Mar Announces Exciting Lineup of Celebrity Chefs and Renowned Artists for the Fourth Annual Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival, October 22-26, 2025
Guests Can Enjoy Exclusive Programming with the All-Star Roster of Tastemakers at this Spectacular, One-of-a-Kind Event Additional Images Available Here; Photo Credit: Baha Mar NASSAU, The Bahamas, June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Baha Mar, the Caribbean's leading integrated luxury resort in The Bahamas, officially reveals its highly-anticipated five-day lineup of spectacular events and special guest appearances taking place at the fourth-annual The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival at Baha Mar on October 22-26, 2025. Hosted by world-renowned culinary talents including Marcus Samuelsson of Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House, Dario Cecchini of Carna, and Daniel Boulud of Café Boulud, alongside John Cox, Executive Director of Art & Culture at Baha Mar, The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival is truly a one-of-a-kind immersive culinary and art experience. Baha Mar's chefs will also be joined by well-known celebrity chefs including Bahamian celebrity chef, Simeon Hall Jr., and Food Network stars, Amanda Freitag, Carla Hall, Maneet Chauhan, Geoffrey Zakarian, and Scott Conant. Also in attendance will be the US' foremost spirits expert and author Noah Rothbaum, sommeliers Amanda McCossin and André Mack, as well as Bahamian mixologist Marv MrMixx Bahamas. The Festival kicks off Wednesday, October 22, with the annual Truffle Dinner with Daniel Boulud at Café Boulud and the opening of FUZE Art Fair. FUZE has been expanded to a five-day artistic platform, with more artists and galleries from Wednesday, October 22 through to Sunday, October 26. FUZE features extraordinary art from 14 countries, more than 70 artists, and work from over 40 galleries. FUZE is proud to welcome renowned artists and galleries, including Shacqueel Coleby, John Paul Saddleton, and June Collie, to name a few. Noteworthy new and returning programming at this year's festival includes Coconut & Cocktails Day Party with Marcus Samuelsson and Scott Conant, The Art of Brunch featuring Amanda Freitag, Carla Hall, and Maneet Chauhan, Flamingos and Flocktails, and Jazz Club Happy Hour featuring The Essence Band. Also new for 2025 is The Kitchen Masterclass Series. The series, hosted by Bon Appétit Editor In Chief Jamila Robinson and featuring leading celebrity chefs Geoffrey Zakarian, Maneet Chauhan, Amanda Freitag, and Carla Hall, is an intimate and fun-filled masterclass where guests will learn to prepare each chef's recipe before enjoying their creations together on an expansive garden patio. The Kitchen at Baha Mar is a one-of-a-kind culinary venue that combines a state-of-the-art professional kitchen with a high-tech interactive learning center. Tickets for the event are now on sale at and are priced by experience, ranging from $100 to $500 per person, per event. Guests can also enjoy The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival at Baha Mar with exclusive hotel packages including luxurious stays at the refined Rosewood Baha Mar, playfully hip SLS Baha Mar or modern Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. Festival goers can upgrade their experience by purchasing the all-inclusive Festival Weekend Pass ranging from $599++ for the Gold Weekend Pass and $899++ for the Platinum Weekend Pass which includes access to flagship events and experiences, and early access to some of the most exclusive chef experiences. More experiences will be announced in the coming weeks, including exclusive art activities hosted by Baha Mar's leading chefs and artists. For more information about the event, please visit for full details on featured chefs and artists, event specifics, art exhibitions, and a link for easy ticket purchase. About Baha MarBaha Mar is a master planned integrated resort development situated on 1,000 acres overlooking the world's famous Cable Beach. The white sand beach destination includes three global brand operators – Grand Hyatt, SLS, and Rosewood – over 2,300 rooms and more than 45 restaurants and lounges, a state-of-the-art convention center, Royal Blue Golf Course, an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus signature course, a brand new $200 million Baha Bay luxury water park, the Caribbean's first and only flagship ESPA spa, and over 30 luxury retail outlets. Baha Mar is a breathtaking location with dynamic programming, activities, and guest offerings in one of the most beautiful places in the world – The Bahamas. For more information and reservations, visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Baha Mar Sign in to access your portfolio

Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Ukraine's 'Black Cloud' artwork to evoke war at Burning Man festival
By Anna Voitenko KYIV (Reuters) -A massive black cloud has stood in Kyiv's historic Sophia Square this week, emitting flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder in evocation of war, before it travels to the Burning Man art festival in the United States later this year. The "Black Cloud" installation, by Ukrainian artist Oleksiy Say, measures 30 metres (100 feet) long and 15 high, weighs nearly eight tonnes and is made from four kilometres of fabric. The work also includes the sounds of artillery fire, explosions, drones and military vehicles in a chilling evocation of Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine since February 2022. "Get ready. Evil is just around the corner. It makes sense to face it," Say told Reuters, standing beside his work, in a message to others beyond Ukraine. The 50-year-old, who studied at the Kyiv Art and Industrial Technical School, lives and works in the capital of Ukraine where there has been a surge of "war art" during the conflict. Say's installation will be a Ukrainian contribution to the annual, eight-day independent art festival in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada in August. "Perhaps the next time someone watches news about Ukraine they will register not only the information but also experience an emotion that goes with it. That's how it (the Black Cloud) is intended to work," said Maria Moroz, executive producer of the project. For Kyiv residents, the Black Cloud is a stark symbol. On a recent day, some took photos while others stood quietly, one couple hugging in silence under its shadow. "Had it been somewhere up in the sky, I would have associated it with a cloud, but as it is, it evoked images of explosions and destruction in me," said Natalia, 58, from Kyiv. "I was walking to work when I saw this installation. It made me think of something evil. It reminded me of the war," said Tetiana, 54. "Constant air raid alerts, missiles, ... drones, this is what it makes me think of."