Mykhailo Starytsky

Who was Mykhailo Starytsky?

Mykhailo Starytsky was a Ukrainian writer, poet, and playwright. He was the cousin of the famous Ukrainian composer Mykola Lysenko and a father-in-law to Ivan Steshenko. He was orphaned early in life and raised by Lysenko's father, so he was able to supply much of the information for the composer's biography. Starytsky wrote librettos, songs, stories, dramas and poems. Later in life, Starytsky worked with Lysenko, collecting Ukrainian folk songs and transforming them into plays and operas for which Starystky wrote the librettos. He eventually switched from writing scripts for theatre to writing books. Starystky is currently remembered for his work with Lysenko, as well as his later poetry and novels.