Restoration and Activity of the Kyiv National Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet named after T.G. Shevchenko in 1944-1945

Abstract

The paper specifies the activity of the Kyiv National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet named after T.G. Shevchenko in 1944-1945 after the reevacuation of the Theater to Ukraine. A retrospective analysis of the creative achievements of the institution during the evacuation years is made. The process of restoring the material and technical base of the Kiev Opera House is traced. The economic standing and working conditions of creative theater workers during the specified period are uncovered. The causes of conflicts related to the activity of the culture and art institution are identified and analyzed.

According to the resolution of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Ukrainian SSR and the Central Committee of the CP(b)U of March 3, 1944, the company and property of the Kyiv Opera and Ballet Theater are returned to the capital of the Ukrainian SSR. Until July 1, 1944, the Taras Shevchenko Kharkiv Ukrainian Drama Theatre was on tour in the building of the Kyiv Opera House.

Theater workers had problems with housing. Firstly, some time was required to repair the dwelling houses. There were also delays in the work of construction gangs. Secondly, in refurbished apartments, the servicemen often were housed.

Employees of the institution were insufficiently provided with industrial and food products. The salary was scanty, making the creative persons seek additional work, participate in concerts and act in films. A differential payment in various theater institutions, high standards of work induced the Directorate of the Kyiv National Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet named after T.G. Shevchenko to appeal to the Soviet leadership to eliminate injustice in wages and reduce the work standards for the most skilled staff of the institution.

Also, there were the problems of principle, moral and ethical nature in the theater. Just, logically, the question arose should they stage the plays in Russian. Some theater employees thought it unacceptable to work in occupied Kyiv, as B. Hmyria did. That became the reason for conflicts and a negative attitude to the singer. The fired employees tried to dispute the decisions of the opera theater directorate, appealing to the state authorities, which actively meddled in the personnel policy of culture and art institutions. In the document, the fired employee stated that the reason for the discharge was a criticism of the theater leadership activity.