Maxim Kolomiiets’ opera Mothers of Kherson premieres in Warsaw

The Polish National Opera hosted the world premiere of Maxim Kolomiiets’ opera, Mothers of Kherson, at Teatr Wielki. The production, which features an English-language libretto by George Brant, was co-commanded with the Metropolitan Opera of New York.

The story is inspired by the true accounts of Ukrainian mothers who undertook a perilous 3,000-mile journey to Russia in 2022 to locate and rescue their abducted children. The narrative follows characters such as Kateryna, Dasha, and the elderly Olha as they attempt to retrieve children from a Russian-sponsored camp in Crimea.

The premiere on October 16 received a 20-minute standing ovation. The production was initiated by Metropolitan Opera director Peter Gelb and Olena Zelenska. The Metropolitan Opera is scheduled to present the work to New York audiences in April 2028.