Belarusian opera star in the US

The World

Baritone Ilya Silchukov was the lead soloist at the State Opera Bolshoi in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. He lived a privileged and comfortable life in his homeland. But he gave it all up after speaking out against the authoritarian regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The singer tells host Marco Werman how he is restarting his international career from his new home in the US.

Will you support The World? 

The story you just read is accessible and free to all because thousands of listeners and readers contribute to our nonprofit newsroom. We go deep to bring you the human-centered international reporting that you know you can trust. To do this work and to do it well, we rely on the support of our listeners. If you appreciated our coverage this year, if there was a story that made you pause or a song that moved you, would you consider making a gift to sustain our work through 2024 and beyond?