UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, Arp 10 — Zmiiv City Council, Kharkiv Oblast, plans to turn the historic building where Olha Smirnitska, the first woman composer of Ukraine, was born and raised into a museum, dedicated to her life and art. 

Olha Smirnitska (1837-1920) was a Ukrainian composer from Zmiiv. She studied at the Institute for Noble Maidens, where she learned music and literature. Smirnitska created several romances, the most famous of which are “First Love” and Polish Mazurka. Historians say that her music had a significant impact on composer Johann Strauss II, who, they assume, was her lover.

Zmiiv City Council got an agreement to transform the building built in 30s of XIX century from the State Property Fund of Ukraine, since recently the building became a common property (belonging to the Zmiiv community).

“The main condition was to not allow privatization of the property — (the building) has to be used exclusively as a museum exhibition dedicated to Olha Smirnitska’s life and music,” said Zmiiv City Council.

A few days ago, Mykhailo Saianyi, director of the Zmiiv local museum, received the key to this building. He’ll supposedly oversee the creation of a new museum.

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