Before arriving in Western Ukraine, I had an image in my head of what I would find. Since I have nothing to compare what life is like during war, I imagined people would walk around with solemn expressions. With the weight of war upon their shoulders, I wondered if there was time for them to let loose and enjoy life. Turned out, I was way off in my assumptions of what daily life in Western Ukraine is like.
We spent most of our time in the Lviv Oblast region, far from where fighting is taking place in the east. Russian missiles have slipped past the defenses and have hit targets in Lviv, but the destruction does not match the devastation in places like Kiev. Still, the threat of violence is always present and air raid sirens blare routinely.
Despite Russia’s aggression, daily life continues, and Ukrainians continue to seek joy. When I brought up my preconceived impression to a taxi driver about being surprised to find Ukrainians joyfully continuing on with their lives, he responded, “That’s what we are fighting for.”
On our first evening in Lviv, we walked into the gorgeous Lviv Opera House, where art continues to thrive. The Opera House was built between 1897 and 1900 and is a historical proof that art, happiness, expression, and love can withstand the cruelty and chaos of man’s depravity.
We attended a performance during the Christmas holiday season and had the pleasure of sitting in a box. In attendance with me was photographer Joshua Brandenburg, and Sasha Vosk from the Rebuild Ukraine Foundation. Whenever I sit inside a beautiful theater, a jealousy overcomes me that I cannot take the stage. Once the opera singers opened their lungs and belted out a note, jealousy quickly left my body and a feeling of awe took over. That continued as ballet dancers flitted about the stage performing superhuman tasks.
When the opera singers began to sing, Sasha leaned over and began translating. After a few songs, he no longer needed to translate, because the power of art conveyed feelings without understanding the language. I found myself invested emotionally with the performers and tears developed in my eyes.
While being emotionally invested in what played out before me, the opera singers stood in a chorus line and belted out a new number. As the first notes echoed throughout the building, the audience stood and sang along with professionals. I have been to many operatic performances in the United States, but I have never been invited to sing along. In that patriotic moment, I too felt as though I was an honorary Ukrainian.
After the performance, we were invited to visit the stage and meet with opera singers, dancers, and the director. As we stood on the stage waiting, I whispered to Joshua, “Can you believe we are standing on the stage at the Lviv Opera House?”
In talking to the director, dancers, and singers, there was a unity of bringing the beauty of art to people who needed an escape. Vasyl Vovkun, the artistic director at the Opera House, said performances are a little different now than they were in the past, with more patriotic numbers being added to the show.
With war raging in the east, the performers stick to their daily rituals of readying their bodies for performing. The singers continue to train their vocal cords and some of them have side jobs as well. Two of the opera singers told us they also teach music to children. The dancers we spoke with continue to keep their bodies trained by a healthy diet and keeping their bodies loose and in shape. The performers had undergone years of hard work and a strict lifestyle in order to be a part of the company and they’re holding on to their positions and onto hope that one day audiences and performers can attend the Lviv Opera without the stress of war.
We encountered horror stories while in Ukraine and saw buildings that showcased Russia’s aggression. Monuments and historical places were covered in case of an attack. Church windows were boarded up. Signs with faces of deceased soldiers lined up inside parks and churches. There are innumerable reasons to feel despair, but the Ukrainian resolve is powerful. In a country that has every right to feel downtrodden, the show goes on in the Lviv Opera House, where peformers celebrate life through art. As the horrors of war are shown on TV and the streets, the beauty of opera and ballet can be found on stage.
Hear are more stories abour our time in Ukraine:
Where is God During War: A conversation with a Ukrainian Priest
15 Reasons to Visit Western Ukraine Now
Defeating Darkness with Art: Touring Park 3020
Getting Naked in Ukraine
Rebuilding Ukraine by Rebuilding Children’s Lives: My interview with the staff of SOS
Emily Resort and Spa in Lviv, Ukraine is a Luxury Paradise with Family-Friendly Activities
Visiting Ukraine During the War
Representing America in the Back of a Taxi in Ukraine
Promoting Tourism in Ukraine During the War
Visiting Ukraine During the War
Snowboarding in Ukraine
Tips for Americans Visiting Ukraine
Visiting Truskavets’ Healing Springs and Spas
Horseback Riding in the Carpathian Mountains
Visiting Kamianets-Podilkskyi: Remembering the Past and Building to a Better Future
The Show Must Go On: The Lviv Opera House is Open Despite the War
Traditional Ukrainian Drink Uzvar Recipe
Kyiv Mule Cocktail Recipe
Our Ukrainian host with the Lviv government organized our trip to show that Ukraine is open for tourism. We felt completely safe throughout our time in the Lviv Oblast region. We had many sumptuous meals and were entertained throughout our time. (Follow Lviv’s tourism Instagram and Facebook accounts for more information)
Our American/Ukrainian contact, Sasha Vosk, was born in Ukraine and looks to help build Ukraine through tourism. He founded the organization, Rebuild Ukraine Foundation, to help build up the Ukrainian economy and help inform the world of all that Ukraine offers. One doesn’t need to wait till the end of the war to visit the country. It’s ready for tourists now.
I also visited Ukraine with Joshua Brandenburg, a photographer from New York City. You can visit his website here and follow him on Instagram here.
Beautiful photos and good information. My heart goes out to these people, as they get on with present life. My support goes out to them.