The Ukrainian Institute in Vienna recently hosted a cultural event celebrating the rediscovery of the baroque opera “Creonte” by Ukrainian composer Dmytro Bortniansky. This significant work, last performed in the 18th century, was presumed lost until its recent unearthing in a Lisbon library.
After centuries of being lost, the score for “Creonte,” which captivated audiences at the Venetian theater Di S. Benedetto in 1776, has finally been rediscovered. Composed by Bortniansky, the work draws on the ancient tale of the King of Thebes. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Ukraine-Austria Office at the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this significant musical rediscovery has been carefully restored and published.
“Dmytro Bortniansky is a great Ukrainian who made an important contribution to European musical heritage and held a significant place on the European musical stage. He was more famous and renowned at that time than he is now, I believe, not fully appreciated as he deserves. Therefore, today’s discussion is important to learn more new details and facts about the life and work of Bortniansky,” said Ukrainian Ambassador to Austria Vasyl Khymynets, according to UP. Zhyttia.
Dmytro Bortniansky, a renowned Ukrainian composer, conductor, and educator known for his contributions to the Baroque music period, was born in the village of Hlukhiv. From an early age, Bortniansky devoted himself to music, eventually studying in Italy for a decade under the tutelage of Baldassare Galuppi. During his time in Italy, he immersed himself in contemporary musical styles, blending Western European influences with Ukrainian elements in his compositions.
Cover: Ukrainian Institute in Vienna
