Artists and organisations across Europe are coming together in support of Ukraine, as Russia’s invasion enters its second month.
This week London’s Royal Opera House announced a series of fundraising initiatives in support of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, an umbrella group of charities which raises funds to provide emergency aid and rapid relief.
A Concert for Ukraine will be held on Good Friday, 15 April, with Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv joining Antonio Pappano on the podium to conduct a stellar cast of singers including including Ukrainian tenor Dmytro Popov, Ukrainian baritone Yuriy Yurchuk, South African soprano Pretty Yende and British-Italian tenor Freddie De Tommaso.
Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv. Image © Wilfried Hösl.
On 5 May 2022, The Royal Ballet will hold a fundraising performance of Swan Lake, in which Royal Ballet Principal dancers Lauren Cuthbertson, Sarah Lamb, Marianela Núñez and Natalia Osipova will join forces to share the role of Odette/Odile.
And on Friday 22 April, audiences around the world will be able to stream Flight Pattern, an award-winning film created in 2017 in response to the refugee crisis. The stream costs £7 but additional donations...
I feel compelled to write because it is such a vexed and tough situation that Russian artists and sports people of all genres find themselves in: that is, how to voice their opposition to the actions that their country is taking in the Ukraine? It is not a simple situation, as has been noted, as many artists have dual nationality, or are both of Russian and Ukraine descent, or have relatives who may be affected by their decisions. But I feel quite strongly that as the Ukrainians are doing, the Russians must do, which is to fight the actions they oppose, even if it means death or great harm to them or their loved ones. How easy to say that from the safety of Australia where we do not have those devastating consequences for our voices of governmental dissent or ethical questioning? But, we are our government, wherever we live in the world, so are personally accountable for the actions our governments take, however unpalatable this may be. Why should the rest of the world be taking risks on behalf of the Russian people who are too scared….read ‘terrified’, and rightly so ….of being targeted by the government agencies if they are brave enough to come out and defy the orders of silence? I fully agree to do as much as is possible to support the Ukrainians in this conflict, I agree with the sanctions, the pressure that is being put on the Russian government and the oligarchs to try to quell the tensions and ease pressure on the Ukraines, but am also very worried that by being silent, the Russian people are also complicit in this conflict, through their fear. Oh dear!!!! I am against war of all sorts, and find it quite difficult to understand why destruction is such a weapon still used to subdue peoples the world over. Please aggressors – think of the earth, health of soil, water, and the health and happiness and respect of the people of the world. What would we do in the situation of the Russian artists? Would we stand in defiance of the government and maybe with force of numbers overturn the actions and decisions that we so oppose? Can we both claim our nationality with the cultural identity, and immunity from our elected leaders actions? Can we perform as artists apolitically and simultaneously oppose the actions of our country without actively and publicly voicing our concerns and opposition to military attacks on foreign countries even with the fear and dread of the consequences? What a tough situation! Note – I am anti-war, anti-aggression, pro-environmental health and believe in the love and promotion of cultural diversity the world over. I accept the decisions that the Russian artists make as to whether they voice their opposition to the conflict in the Ukraine, or whether they choose to remain removed. The issues are far too difficult for me to be critical or prescriptive in any way, indeed, to invite criticism by any of us who are not in that situation. Our cultural world is so much the richer for having Russian artistry woven into it’s fabric.