The Ukrainian Community in Illinois has officially called on the Joffrey Ballet Company to cancel the June 2026 performance of Eugene Onegin in Chicago. The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America, Illinois Chapter, stresses that in times of war, the performance of classical Russian works can be perceived as ignoring the crimes of the Russian Federation and contributing to the normalisation of its imperial policies. Activists recall that Russian culture is used by the Kremlin as a propaganda tool, while Ukrainian culture is being deliberately destroyed.
Maria Dmytriv-Kapeniak, chair of the Illinois branch of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), told the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC).
"At a time when Ukrainian culture is being deliberately destroyed - theatres are being bombed, artists are being forced to leave their homes, and children are being killed or kidnapped - the demonstration of canonical Russian works on leading stages unwittingly creates the impression of cultural indifference to these crimes," the statement said.
The activists point out that Russian culture, even in its classical forms, is used by the Kremlin as a soft power and propaganda tool to support its imperial ambitions. Performances such as Eugene Onegin or Anna Karenina, despite their artistic value, may inadvertently contribute to the normalisation of the image of Russia, which is waging a genocidal war against Ukraine.
The community is calling on the Joffrey Ballet to postpone the performance until the war ends and peace is restored in Ukraine, calling this decision a "powerful act of solidarity".
"We call on the Joffrey Ballet to postpone this production until peace is restored and Ukraine's sovereignty is secured. This decision would be a powerful act of solidarity and a demonstration that art stands not only for beauty, but also for human dignity and justice," the community said.
It is worth noting that the protest is part of a broader effort by the non-profit coalition Ukrainian Congress Committee of America to stop the spread of Russian culture during Russia's war against Ukraine.
Photo: Andriy Uspensky
Author: Inna Mikhno