„Wir haben Krieg. Die Probe fällt aus.“

“We're at war. The rehearsal is canceled.”
The Kyiv Symphony Orchestra in exile
In April 2022, the renowned Kyiv Symphony Orchestra sets off on a tour to Western Europe. Two months earlier, Putin's army had invaded Ukraine. It soon becomes clear that the orchestra members will not be able to return home. Performances in the embattled capital are unthinkable. The orchestra's mission is now to promote and defend Ukrainian culture in Europe. The journey becomes an exile. Through a chain of coincidences, the symphony orchestra ended up in Gera in Thuringia, where the city provided them with living quarters and a rehearsal room. The musicians can breathe a sigh of relief. From Gera, they travel to the most important concert halls in Europe and celebrate successes. But in May 2023, Kyiv cancels the funding. The orchestra is threatened with dissolution. For the male musicians, returning to Ukraine would mean that they could be drafted into the war.