Today at 22:20
Vasyl Slipak lived in Paris for 19 years. He had a successful career, won the grand prix at international competitions and recognition at prestigious festivals. His voice was called unique.
Slipak introduced Ukrainian composers to European audiences.
At the age of 18, Vasyl introduced the music of Dmytro Bortniansky to a French conductor. Later Jean-Pierre Loré came to Lviv, recorded a CD and released it in Europe. It was a very important event for Ukrainian culture.
His bass-baritone voice was heard in central Paris when during the Revolution of Dignity he could not come to Kyiv. After the outbreak of the war, he founded the ‘Fraternité Ukrainienne’ (‘Ukrainian Brotherhood’) in France to help Ukrainian soldiers.
Slipak organized charity concerts and fairs. In January 2015, he told me he was going to the front line. He went there in May. Many people told him: “Stay here, people need you here. You can unite them, you can address politicians.” But he said he could not ask for help for the front line, and remain in Paris.
He was often asked why he traded the comfort of Paris for military dugouts.
He joined a volunteer battalion, that took part in the fiercest battles in eastern Ukraine. Slipak became a machine gunner. He was call signed ‘Myth’ — a short form for “Mephistopheles”. Though he had nothing in common with the embodiment of evil.
People always gathered around Slipak. There were always songs and joy.
Slipak served on the front line in between his concerts. In the summer of 2016, he planned to return to the stage, but was killed by enemy shelling on June 29.
