Address by Juozas Olekas, Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, before the opera performance in Kyiv

October 29, 2025

Дорогі брати украiнці,

I am very happy to welcome you on behalf of all of Lithuania to Kiev, which will soon become an open stage for Lithuanian opera.

In a few minutes, Giuseppe Verdi's opera Macbeth, produced and performed by Lithuanian stage stars, will begin in Vilnius. This is a unique opportunity for us Lithuanians to see so many of our world-renowned performers together in one place.

Right now, a huge audience is watching the opera in Vilnius Square, while here in Kyiv, we can see the Lithuanian production of Macbeth. This event, bringing Vilnius and Kyiv, Lithuania and Ukraine together, once again demonstrates that we stand united against the destructive force of Russia.

The moral message of Macbeth is clear — evil, even if it seems successful at first, ultimately destroys itself. Crime is punished and truth wins out, even though it requires much suffering and loss of life.

Sadly, this is a reality that the people of Ukraine are facing today.

We are meeting this evening to experience music. Even with explosions happening and alarms sounding in the background. I believe that these are very important hours in our lives, when we can return to art, creativity, eternal values, to our shared humanity. Even though war forces us to ask where humanity is.

Thank you for joining us at the opera today. I hope you enjoy the performance, and I am sure that soon Lithuanian opera will be heard live in Kiev, a city beloved by all of us.

Slava Ukraini!