A newly premiered opera in Kyiv brings to life the harrowing real-world experiences of Ukrainian mothers who embarked on a perilous 3,000-mile journey to rescue their children from Russian captivity in occupied Crimea.
The musical work, titled “Mothers of Kherson,” received backing from New York’s Metropolitan Opera and draws from actual accounts of women who departed the southern Ukrainian city following its liberation in November 2022. Their mission: to retrieve their abducted children and bring them safely home.
These determined mothers navigated around the extensive 750-mile battle zone, traveling through Poland, Belarus and Russia to reach the facility in Crimea where their children were detained.
Ukrainian officials report that approximately 20,000 children have been confirmed as taken by Russian forces throughout the four-year conflict. A United Nations commission determined in March that Russia’s deportation and forced disappearance of Ukrainian children constitutes a crime against humanity.
Russian officials reject these allegations, claiming they relocated Ukrainian children to ensure their protection.
According to Save Ukraine, an organization that coordinates rescue efforts, only 1,343 children have successfully returned home to date.
Peter Gelb, general manager of the Metropolitan Opera, expressed his belief that using artistic expression to document Russian war crimes could increase public awareness and create a permanent historical record.
“It’s just an incredibly emotional story that these mothers would basically sacrifice everything, including their lives if necessary, to get their children back,” Gelb, 73, stated. He explained that transforming their experiences into operatic form amplified the story’s emotional impact.
“It has the capability of doing something that watching the news can’t possibly do, or reading a newspaper, which is to elevate our souls,” he remarked.
Among those attending the premiere at Kyiv’s historic 19th-century national opera house was Yulia Radzevilova, one of the mothers whose experience inspired Ukrainian composer Maxim Kolomiiets’ work. She successfully returned home just over three years ago with her son Maxim, who is now 16.
“The journey was very difficult and long,” the 39-year-old shared. Watching her story performed on stage moved her to tears: “I was transported back to those times and emotions. It sounds so beautiful.”
Radzevilova’s ordeal began when a teacher arranged what was described as a two-week recreational trip to Crimea in October 2022 for children to find respite from the war. However, Maxim remained there for four months. When Yulia requested his return, officials told her she would need to collect him personally.
Maxim, who was 12 during his detention, described the facility as resembling a “prison.” Children were prohibited from speaking Ukrainian, faced physical punishment, and were required to perform morning exercises while the Russian national anthem played.
He remembered tearfully contacting his mother through Telegram: “I wanted to go home. When I saw my mother, I was so happy.”
Thursday’s presentation, coinciding with Ukraine’s memorial day for children lost in the conflict, featured selections from the ongoing composition. The complete production will debut at the Polish National Opera in October, followed by its Metropolitan Opera premiere in April 2028.
Mykola Kuleba, who established Save Ukraine, recalled his surprise when Gelb contacted him following the 2023 rescues. The two later met in Washington to discuss the artistic project.
“An opera about kidnapped children – I’d never heard of such a thing,” Kuleba noted. He described experiencing the “magical music” at the premiere as a “moment of healing” during a period when Kyiv faces frequent air attacks.
Save Ukraine continues discovering additional cases of abducted children, many whose parents were killed, detained or have vanished. Kuleba reported that rescued children described being cut off from Ukrainian cultural connections and taught to view the West as hostile.
“We will not stop. We’ll continue our rescue missions,” he declared.
Keri-Lynn Wilson, who led the premiere performance, established the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra after the Russian invasion to highlight Ukraine’s artistic achievements globally. The Canadian conductor, who has Ukrainian heritage, believes the opera will increase awareness of Ukraine’s struggles and strength.
“Ukrainian culture and music are vital and alive and you can’t silence it,” said Wilson, who is married to Gelb.
