Odesa Celebrates the Legacy of Stus
On January 6th, Odesa joined the nationwide performance festival “STUSing Together” a tribute to the poet who remained free even in difficult times.
The event was organized by military personnel and musician Igor Dvyhalo, who coordinated the gathering straight from a bunker, symbolizing that culture knows no boundaries.
This year, cities like Odesa, Lviv, Dnipro, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, Kamianets, and others joined Kyiv in the festivities.
The celebration in Odesa took place at the More Music Club, featuring an eclectic musical and poetic performance that highlighted Stus as a rebellious artist relevant today.
The evening kicked off with electronic music, under which an 11-year-old boy recited a poem by Stus — the voice of the sixtiers echoed as the voice of a new generation.
The program included a musical stand-up from the independent Kyiv theatre “Between Three Columns,” as well as mini-sets from Odesa bands spanning genres from electronic to industrial metal.
Some music was composed directly on Stus's poems, while others served as reflections and fantasies inspired by his texts. Between blocks, short facts about Vasyl Stus's life were shared — dates, events, details that often get lost in official biographies.
The finale featured a communal carol “Good Evening to You, Master of the House.”
On January 6th, during Epiphany, this carol resonated in unison across various cities in Ukraine.
