Diaries of a Wayfaring Cellist

Fatigue had settled in. The bitter European winter was more than I could bear. Although I had read countless books on Ukraine, nothing could have prepared me for this: minus 20 degrees Celsius and an endless amount of snow. Even though I was well-acquainted with the cold, this was unprecedented. Walking around outside could never have been more excruciating. I guess this was a huge welcome for a person who had never visited a former Republic in the now-defunct Soviet Union!

If there is ever such a thing called the "perfect day", 19th December 2012 came very close. After a long day at work, my host family unveiled a heart-warming surprise: a V.I.P box ticket to a performance of a traditional Ukrainian Opera! Excitement was an understatement. Cloud nine was in reach and I felt as though I was walking on air.

Built in 1897, the Lviv Theatre for Opera and Ballet stands tall as an emblematic landmark of the city. Considered as one of the most gorgeous concert venues in Europe, it was the first Opera House built in a city that wasn’t the capital. As I made my way inside, I couldn’t help but marvel in its artistic beauty – the subtly carved sculptures in the foyer, the exquisite paintings on the chandelier, and the glimmering marble staircase. Even the stories about the theatre were intriguing – the fact that it was built on top of a large river which is now pushed underground, and the Nazis attempting to steal the stage curtain during their occupation of the city but failing because of a brave bunch of Ukrainian students hiding it. My worries and troubles vanished in a heartbeat.

As the lights dimmed and the curtains opened, I was greeted to a colourful flurry of props and the sound of a booming trumpet from the pit Orchestra. Set in the early 19th century during the Habsburg Empire, the opera was a heartfelt love story about a lovely Ukrainian maiden in search of her true love. Heart-warming and hilarious at the same time, she eventually finds her knight in shining armour in Petro; her childhood sweetheart.

After a rapturous applause, it was time to go home. Walking out, I paused in the main aisle of the theatre and began looking around. Only one thought came into my mind: this was an experience to tell my grandchildren.