In 1776, during a spell in Italy early in his career, the Ukrainian composer Dmytro Bortniansky (1751-1825) wrote Creonte, an opera seria based on Sophocles' tragedy Antigone and poised, like early Mozart, on the cusp between Baroque and Classical styles. Although a success in its day, Creonte then vanished for 250 years, until it was discovered by chance in a Portuguese library. It may have been hidden there because its tale of love versus power ends with a surprising democratic twist - a daring move in those autocratic times. Since Creonte is the first surviving opera by a Ukrainian composer, its revival in Kyiv in 2024 became a gesture of defiance, a symbol of national importance underlining the continued vigour of Ukrainian culture even in wartime. This remarkable recording then followed, made in sessions between Russian bombing, black-outs and power-cuts - itself a testimony to Ukrainian national resilience.

Cast:
- Creonte: Serhiy Bortnyk (tenor)
- Antigona: Olha Fomichova (soprano)
- Ermone: Danylo Kotok (tenor)
- Ardasto: Stanislav Pashchuk (tenor)
- Ismena: Margharyta Bilokiz (mezzo-soprano)