On April 4, 2024, the Chernivtsi Regional Museum of Local Lore hosted a roundtable, which grew into a full-fledged scientific seminar, dedicated to the 105th anniversary of the death of architect Hermann Helmer. The event was attended by the region's scientific and creative intelligentsia, professionals in science, education, and culture, and students of bachelor's and master's degree programs from Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University.
The main topics of discussion concerned the events related to the prerequisites for construction, the project authors, and the historical fact of the decoration of the facades and interiors of the new City Theatre in Chernivtsi, now known as the Olha Kobylianska Chernivtsi Academic Regional Ukrainian Drama Theatre. Significant attention was paid to the creative activity of the architectural duo Hermann Helmer and Ferdinand Fellner and their creative dynasties, as well as archival documents, including original drawings, acts of completed works, and other interesting materials from the construction of the "dream of velvet and gold." For the roundtable, museum staff prepared an exhibition titled "The City Theatre in Chernivtsi on Postcards of the Austrian Era" from the #CHOKM funds, and displayed historical images of the theatre building from the collection of local historian Oleksandr Shkuridin, NGO "Institute of Communities," kindly provided by theatre director Ivan Butniak.
The event was moderated by its initiator, Oksana Dragomyretska, Head of the Department of Archaeology, Middle Ages, and Modern History of the Region at the Chernivtsi Regional Museum of Local Lore. Scientific reports were presented by:
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Kateryna VALYAVSKA – Candidate of Historical Sciences, Head of the Department of Scientific-Educational and Methodological Work at the Chernivtsi Regional Museum of Local Lore: "A TEMPORARY THEATRE IN CHERNIVTSI LASTING A CENTURY";
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Iryna KOROTUN – Honored Architect of Ukraine, D.Sc. (Arch.), Head of the Department of Architecture and Preservation of UNESCO World Heritage Sites at the Faculty of Architecture, Construction, and Decorative and Applied Arts of Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University: "THE CREATIVE DUET OF ARCHITECTS H. HELMER AND F. FELLNER";
- Dmytro CHUCHKO – Candidate of Historical Sciences, Senior Researcher at the Department for the Use of Document Information of the State Archive of Chernivtsi Oblast: "THE HISTORY OF THE CITY THEATRE IN LIGHT OF DOCUMENTS FROM THE STATE ARCHIVE OF CHERNIVTSI OBLAST".
In the concluding remarks, Oksana Dragomyretska, together with an actor from the Olha Kobylianska Music and Drama Theatre in the stage persona of architect Hermann Helmer, acquainted those present with the original of an important historical document – the charter for laying the last stone of the theatre building, which is currently preserved at the Olha Kobylianska Chernivtsi Academic Regional Ukrainian Drama Theatre.
Oksana Dragomyretska presented the roundtable guests with commemorative gifts – a scholarly and artistic publication, the album "64 Secrets from the Museum Treasury" – and announced research and educational events planned for 2025, dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the opening of the new City Theatre in Chernivtsi.
