Teatro Real pays powerful tribute to war victims

Tuesday, March 1, 2022

Company concludes Der Götterdämmerung by wrapping corpse of Siegfried in Ukrainian flag

Many music organisations and artists have expressed their support for the people of Ukraine in the days following the Russian invasion, whether lighting their building in the colours of the Ukrainian flag, or performing the Ukrainian national anthem or works by Ukrainian composers.

In a powerful theatrical act, Madrid's Teatro Real concluded its performance of Wagner's Der Götterdämmerung on Sunday by wrapping the corpse of Siegfried in the Ukrainian flag, a – as the opera house put it – 'symbolic act of homage to the victims of the war'. The production, by Robert Carsen and Patrick Kinmonth, describes itself as 'placing man in front of his own path of self-destruction'. The performance was conducted by Pablo Heras-Casado.

Teatro Real offers 'symbolic act of homage to the victims of the war' (photo: Javier del Real)

More responses from musicians to the Russian invasion of Ukraine can be found in this article

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