Statement on the Performance of Russia : Today on May 10 in Berlin as part of INTO THE OPEN
Last week, Into the Open, as the presenter of the upcoming performance in Berlin, was contacted by a group of activists and media professionals accusing the event on May 10, 2025, of being part of Russian hybrid warfare against Europe and the world. This statement can be found here: https://sites.google.com/view/brlncultresist/deutsch?authuser=0
We take these allegations very seriously, as they directly challenge the core of the ITO project, which we understand as an open forum for creative, innovative, and socially relevant cultural projects committed to democratic values. In consultation with the German Federal Foreign Office and the responsible regional departments, we would like to respond to the accusations as follows:
The documentary opera Russia : Today is a critically reflective music theatre work that fundamentally addresses Russia’s internal fragmentation – and is by no means Russian propaganda, but rather a powerful artistic testimony against authoritarian structures, the violence of war, and state-driven disinformation.
The work is based on more than five years of intensive research by Jewish-American composer Eugene Birman, who traveled through Russia and its neighboring countries in 2019 to capture anonymous voices of Russian-speaking people. These voices depict a complex, yet overall clearly critical picture of today’s Russia – with statements such as “Russia is a dictatorship” or “Russia was an empire, now it’s a mess.” More positive remarks were also included, in the spirit of documentary honesty, not trivialization. The music, conceived as a requiem, reinforces the dystopian and doomed atmosphere of these statements. The title itself is a deliberate artistic appropriation and reversal of the well-known propaganda outlet Russia Today.
All members of the creative team – including the recently deceased Russian author Lev Rubinstein, who died under unclear circumstances in Moscow – have clearly positioned themselves against the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine. Many of them were forced to leave Russia due to their artistic activities or face threats should they return. Russia : Todayis banned in Russia. Proceeds from previous performances, most recently in London (Kings Place, 2023) and Oxford (2024), were donated to aid organizations supporting Ukrainian refugees. The upcoming performance in Berlin will be presented by the internationally acclaimed British vocal ensemble EXAUDI, one of the leading ensembles for contemporary music, known for its uncompromising artistic approach.
In light of current misinformation, we wish to state clearly: Russia : Today is an independently created work by composer Eugene Birman and receives no financial support from Russian funding bodies, state institutions, or Russia-affiliated structures. The production has been made possible exclusively through Western institutions, including several U.S. embassies, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other European and international organizations. All have supported the project fully aware of its explicitly critical engagement with societal developments in Russia.
The work has received widespread international coverage – its reception in renowned media speaks for itself:
“A powerful immersion in the complexities and contradictions of contemporary Russia.”
– Andrew Jack, Financial Times
“Topical though Russia : Today seems, it dates from before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Yet the themes it explores — post-Soviet nostalgia, uncertainty about Russia’s place in the world, anxiety about escalating conflict — seem eerily prescient.”
– Andrew Dickson, The New York Times
Composer Eugene Birman emphasizes:
“As a refugee myself, who fled Russia in 1994 due to religious persecution, I categorically reject any connection between this project and Russian propaganda – the opposite is true. The artistic director and other contributors to Russia : Today, which will be presented by INTO THE OPEN on May 10, were either forced to leave the country due to this project or would be in serious danger upon return. The libretto of the piece was never allowed to be openly published in Russia due to its – even anonymous – political statements against the country’s direction.”
Regarding the title of the work, Birman states:
“By using the title Russia : Today, we aim to subvert the Russia-funded propaganda outlet by reclaiming its name for a piece rooted in five years of research – funded solely by grants from NGOs and Western governments (a full list is available in our online archive) – and committed to bringing truth to light.”
Furthermore, all ticket proceeds from past performances were donated to aid organizations supporting refugees from Ukraine – people whose lives and freedoms have been severely impacted by Russian aggression. Into the Open, as presenter, has long included Ukrainian artists intensively in its programs. A close and productive relationship exists with Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov, to whom several concerts have been dedicated and who wrote two compositions after 2022 specifically for ITO events. Additionally, ITO provides humanitarian assistance and supports the integration of refugees – both Ukrainian and Russian.
Precisely because free artistic expression is suppressed in totalitarian regimes such as Russia (and others), it is more urgent than ever to stand up for democratic values – and to give voice to those who, at personal risk, have shared their perspective on developments in Russia. These voices are heard in the work – they are the work.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at: hello@intotheopen.eu
Kind regards,
The Into the Open Team