As I join the queue, I’m regretting my decision not to wear a suit. In spite of the war and the ongoing threat of Russian bombs and drones, everyone else is dressed to the nines. It’s the world premiere of Creonte, a retelling of the Greek tragedy Antigone. It’s clear to tonight’s audience that Creonte represents Putin and Antigone Ukraine, resisting a tyrant, fighting for justice and freedom.
Just to underline the parallels, five minutes into the second act, with Antigone walled up alive in a tomb, singing defiantly, an air raid warning goes off. The music stops, the curtain descends and the theatre is evacuated. Everyone seems very unfazed. In July this year, three people died in Chernivtsi after a Russian attack, but on the whole, it’s escaped the worst of the war. |
