Kyiv Opera Premieres 'Mothers of Kherson' on 20,000 Abducted Children, Eyeing Warsaw and 2028 New York
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 10
Kyiv Opera Premieres 'Mothers of Kherson' on 20,000 Abducted Children, Eyeing Warsaw and 2028 New York
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 10
Summary
Kyiv's National Opera staged excerpts of 'Mothers of Kherson,' a new work centered on Ukrainian children taken by Russian occupiers, before an audience that included affected families, First Lady Olena Zelenska and other senior officials.
More than 20,000 children are estimated to have been deported or forcibly transferred to Russia, according to Zelenskyy's Bring Kids Back initiative; the opera draws on testimonies gathered with Save Ukraine and was repeatedly checked for factual accuracy.
The story follows mothers from occupied Kherson trying to recover daughters sent to camps in Crimea, reflecting real journeys families have made through Poland, Belarus and Russia after direct routes were cut by the war.
The Metropolitan Opera commissioned the piece, originally redirected in 2023 from a planned Maidan subject, as cultural support for Ukraine; it will be fully staged in Warsaw this autumn and in New York in spring 2028.
Russia calls it a rescue. Can this opera reveal the truth about a war crime to the world?
Can artistic solidarity truly influence international justice and help reunite families torn apart by war?
"Mothers of Kherson": The Opera Bearing Witness to the Abduction of Over 20,000 Ukrainian Children and the Global Fight for Their Return
Overview
The world premiere of "Mothers of Kherson" in June 2026 at the National Opera of Ukraine in Kyiv was a powerful cultural event that immediately drew attention both in Ukraine and internationally. The choice of Kyiv for the premiere highlighted the opera’s direct connection to Ukrainian experiences and its role in reflecting current realities on a global stage. The performance was a collaborative effort, featuring leading Ukrainian ensembles and a children’s choir, which added emotional depth. This impactful debut underscored the opera’s resonance with ongoing national challenges and its potential to shape international understanding.