The project “Creonte XVIII/XXI: Fate, Choice, or the Choice of Fate?”, led by Open Opera Ukraine, is a major international initiative dedicated to reviving Ukraine’s early musical heritage. Alongside the concert performance, the team is preparing a scholarly reconstruction of the score, a critical edition, and a professional recording in accordance with internationally recognised standards of Historically Informed Performance (HIP).

Composed in 1776 for Venice’s Teatro San Benedetto, Creonte disappeared from the repertoire for centuries until Ukrainian musicologist Olha Shumilina discovered the manuscript in Portugal’s Biblioteca da Ajuda in 2023. Today, the opera is returning to the stage through the collaboration of Ukrainian and international scholars, performers, and early music specialists.

The project brings together leading experts in early music, including Austrian cellist, conductor and educator Jörg Zwicker, who serves as the stage conductor. His long-standing collaboration with Open Opera Ukraine has become an important example of sustained Austrian-Ukrainian artistic cooperation.

The Austrian Cooperation Office in Lviv is proud to support this international initiative as a project partner. By contributing to the rediscovery and international promotion of Ukraine’s musical heritage, the project strengthens long-term cultural cooperation between Ukraine and Austria while creating new opportunities for artistic exchange, research, and dialogue. Supporting such initiatives is an important part of the Office’s mission to foster sustainable international partnerships and promote Ukrainian culture within the broader European context.

Admission is free with prior registration.