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Kyiv: A powerful new opera based on the true stories of Ukrainian mothers who risked their lives to rescue children taken to occupied Crimea premiered in Kyiv this week, bringing renewed attention to the plight of thousands of children separated from their families during the war.
Titled Mothers of Kherson, the opera was co-commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera in New York and is based on the experiences of two mothers and a grandmother who traveled nearly 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometers) to retrieve children allegedly abducted by Russian forces.
The production tells the story of women from the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson who embarked on a dangerous journey through Poland, Belarus and Russia after their city was liberated in November 2022. Their goal was to reach camps in occupied Crimea, where their children were being held, and bring them safely home.
Ukraine says it has documented the abduction of approximately 20,000 children by Russia since the start of the conflict. In March, a United Nations commission concluded that the deportation and enforced disappearance of Ukrainian children by Russia constituted a crime against humanity. Moscow rejects the allegations, maintaining that children were evacuated for their own safety.
According to the charity Save Ukraine, which helps organize rescue missions, only 1,343 children have so far been returned to their families.
The opera, composed by Maxim Kolomiiets, was inspired by real-life accounts, including that of Yulia Radzevilova, who attended the premiere at the Kyiv National Opera House.
Radzevilova recounted how her son, Maxim, was sent on what was presented as a two-week trip to Crimea in October 2022 but remained there for four months. She was told she would have to travel to Crimea herself if she wanted him returned.
“The journey was very difficult and long,” she said, adding that watching her experience portrayed on stage brought back powerful memories and emotions.
Her son, now 16, described conditions at the camp as resembling a prison. He said children were prohibited from speaking Ukrainian, subjected to corporal punishment and required to participate in daily exercises accompanied by the Russian national anthem.
The premiere coincided with Ukraine’s remembrance day for children killed during the conflict and featured excerpts from the opera, which remains in development. A full production is scheduled to be staged at the Polish National Opera in October, followed by its Metropolitan Opera premiere in 2028.
Peter Gelb, who helped commission the work, said the opera aims to preserve the stories of affected families and raise awareness of the suffering caused by the war.
“It’s an incredibly emotional story that these mothers would sacrifice everything, including their lives if necessary, to get their children back,” Gelb said.
Save Ukraine founder Mykola Kuleba described the performance as a “moment of healing” amid the hardships faced by Ukrainians during ongoing Russian attacks. He pledged that rescue efforts would continue despite the challenges.
The premiere was conducted by Keri-Lynn Wilson, founder of the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, who said the opera demonstrates both Ukraine’s suffering and resilience.
“Ukrainian culture and music are vital and alive, and you can’t silence it,” Wilson said.
The opera has emerged as a poignant artistic tribute to families affected by the war, while drawing international attention to the continuing efforts to reunite Ukrainian children with their loved ones.
