Release of the First Studio Recording of «Creonte»
A Historic Breakthrough: The World Sees the First Studio Recording of Dmytro Bortniansky’s «Creonte»
On August 17, 2026, a unique event took place in the world of Ukrainian music. During an open rehearsal, the debut studio recording of the opera Creonte by the outstanding Ukrainian composer Dmytro Bortniansky was officially presented.
The recording was made by the independent British classical music label Toccata Classics, while worldwide distribution is handled by the global industry leader Naxos Records. The masterpiece is now available to a broad international audience: the CD has been released for sale, and the recording can be streamed on all major platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, and others.
This is an unprecedented cultural milestone for Ukraine. The release represents an absolute first in the years since the restoration of Ukraine’s independence. The project is being carried out under the patronage of UNESCO and is of great importance for Ukrainian cultural diplomacy.
On August 17, 2026, a unique event took place in the world of Ukrainian music. During an open rehearsal, the debut studio recording of the opera Creonte by the outstanding Ukrainian composer Dmytro Bortniansky was officially presented.
The recording was made by the independent British classical music label Toccata Classics, while worldwide distribution is handled by the global industry leader Naxos Records. The masterpiece is now available to a broad international audience: the CD has been released for sale, and the recording can be streamed on all major platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, and others.
This is an unprecedented cultural milestone for Ukraine. The release represents an absolute first in the years since the restoration of Ukraine’s independence. The project is being carried out under the patronage of UNESCO and is of great importance for Ukrainian cultural diplomacy.
Music by Dmytro Bortniansky from the opera Creonte has been featured in popular international playlists on Apple Music Classical
“For the first time, a Ukrainian opera has been released as a studio recording on CD”, emphasizes Herman Makarenko, conductor and stage director and author of the project Returning to the World of Dmytro Bortniansky’s First Opera, Creonte. “The opera can now be heard in countries around the world, which is important for strengthening the presence of Ukrainian cultural heritage internationally”.
The extraordinary resilience of Ukrainian artists deserves special recognition. The recording was produced under extreme conditions, amid prolonged power and heating outages, the sound of air-raid sirens, and explosions. The musicians sometimes had to rerecord certain sections several times. Nevertheless, the artists rose brilliantly to these challenges, and the quality of the final material received the highest praise from international partners.
A Tribute to the Creative Team
The creation of this historic recording was made possible through the tremendous efforts of a large team of dedicated people. We express our sincere gratitude to:
The team of the L. I. Medved's Research Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, and personally to Professor Mykola Prodanchuk.
The Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, headed by its Director, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ihor Ostash.
The leading musical ensembles: the National Presidential Orchestra of Ukraine and the DUMKA National Honorary Academic Capella of Ukraine.
The outstanding soloists: Olha Fomichova, Serhii Bortnyk, Danylo Kotok, Stanislav Pashchuk, Marharyta Bilokiz, and Olha Shadrina-Lychak.
The author of the concept and conductor and stage director, Herman Makarenko.
The extraordinary resilience of Ukrainian artists deserves special recognition. The recording was produced under extreme conditions, amid prolonged power and heating outages, the sound of air-raid sirens, and explosions. The musicians sometimes had to rerecord certain sections several times. Nevertheless, the artists rose brilliantly to these challenges, and the quality of the final material received the highest praise from international partners.
A Tribute to the Creative Team
The creation of this historic recording was made possible through the tremendous efforts of a large team of dedicated people. We express our sincere gratitude to:
The team of the L. I. Medved's Research Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, and personally to Professor Mykola Prodanchuk.
The Hennadii Udovenko Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, headed by its Director, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ihor Ostash.
The leading musical ensembles: the National Presidential Orchestra of Ukraine and the DUMKA National Honorary Academic Capella of Ukraine.
The outstanding soloists: Olha Fomichova, Serhii Bortnyk, Danylo Kotok, Stanislav Pashchuk, Marharyta Bilokiz, and Olha Shadrina-Lychak.
The author of the concept and conductor and stage director, Herman Makarenko.