The National Opera of Ukraine has ended its employment relations with prima ballerina Natalia Matsak and premier Sergey Kryvokon due to their participation in performances in a Russian ballet abroad. Both artists recently took part in the production of “Swan Lake” with the United European Ballet troupe, which sparked sharp criticism from the Ukrainian public.
This is reported by Finway
Details of the dismissal and the theater’s position
It is known that after their vacation, the artists remained in France, and the management of the National Opera prematurely terminated their contracts. According to the theater’s general director, Petro Chupryna, Matsak and Kryvokon’s official leave lasted until April 26, and the decision to terminate cooperation was made on April 27. The artists initially intended only to suspend their contracts, but later submitted requests for full termination, after which the theater settled with them in full. Additionally, Sergey Kryvokon was deprived of the right to “reservation.”
“They want to perform a wide repertoire, including works by Russian authors and so on. They made that decision. No additional influence was exerted on anyone. It is clear that this loss impacts our theatrical interests and Ukraine’s cultural interests. But this is their decision; we have no leverage to bring them back here,” said Chupryna.
Natalia Matsak confirmed the termination of her contract with the National Opera on social media, emphasizing that for 25 years her life has been closely connected with this stage. She thanked the audience and colleagues, noting that their joint creative work remains in the memory of many.
Trigger for the scandal and public reaction
The story gained attention after ballerina Victoria Zvarych published a video from the production of “Swan Lake” in January 2026, where Matsak and Kryvokon were involved. She pointed out that the honored artist of Ukraine, Sergey Kryvokon, received his title in 2025 and the right to travel abroad to participate in Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s ballet — a work that symbolizes the imperial cultural policy of the Russian Federation. Participation in this production triggered a wave of criticism and public appeals to the Ministry of Culture and the theater’s management to take appropriate measures.
In the photo: Natalia Matsak and Sergey Kryvokon, Instagram