The seventh high art festival, Bouquet Kyiv Stage 2024, has opened in Ukraine’s capital.
"This year, our festival’s slogan is ‘From the Syan to the Don’... It’s not about territory... It’s about art. We’re referring to high cultural art, high art from the Syan to the Don,” said festival co-founder Yevhen Utkin at a press conference on Thursday.
Nelia Kukovalska, General Director of the National Reserve ‘Sophia of Kyiv,’ which hosts the festival, emphasized that despite the ongoing war with Russia and air raids on the festival’s opening day, culture and high art are more needed than ever by society.
"As part of this festival, we are eagerly anticipating the musical performance ‘Ingygerda and Yaroslav.’ It tells the love story of the great Kyiv Prince Yaroslav the Wise and his wife, Swedish Princess Ingygerda, who lived a happy life in this very region... Here, they married off their daughters to European rulers... And from here began the unification of Ukraine with the European world,” Kukovalska noted.
"The program is very rich. Over four days, there will be more than 50 events, including 5 exhibition projects, and 15 music concerts ranging from classical to electronic and authorial music,” added festival co-founder Iryna Budanska.