BBC News Україна
·Jul 2026
War and the Aeneid: Why Ukrainian theatres are experiencing a boom around Kotliarevsky’s poem
Ukrainian theatres have staged at least fifteen modern adaptations of Kotliarevsky’s Aeneid during the war, using its themes of survival and national identity to reflect contemporary experiences of displacement, trauma and resistance. Directors emphasize the poem’s relevance to Ukraine’s struggle, often involving veterans as performers and incorporating symbols of recent conflicts. Productions across the country reinterpret the narrative through the lens of war, loss and resilience, reinforcing Aeneid as a cultural touchstone deeply resonant with current Ukrainian realities.