In Ukraine's second city, Kharkiv, just 30 miles from the Russian border, mass gatherings have been banned since the start of Putin's "special military operation".
Most cultural events that do take place are not advertised to make sure they do not get bombed. But the good news is that after two years of near-silence, the Kharkiv National Opera and Ballet is about to burst back into life - underground. "We want to bring life back to Kharkiv, including cultural life," the theatre's general director, Ihor Touluzov, explains. "Demand for any kind of cultural event here is really high."
The bunker theatre is being prepared well below ground. It's not grand and glamorous: it has no dress circle, chandeliers or champagne - and a lot of grey concrete. But follow the sound of music and it leads to a raised stage with spotlights and rows of seats. And shortly, lots of happy faces both on stage and in the audience.
Most importantly, there's a company of singers, dancers and musicians desperate to perform before a proper audience again. "We really miss our big hall, the feeling of being on a big stage with lots of people watching," violinist Natalia Babarok explains.
When the theatre does finally throw open its underground doors to a wider public - hopefully any day now - they will notice another change. Russian composers have all been eliminated from the repertoire, about 40 percent of what the company used to perform. And the orchestra's ranks have thinned slightly, so some members find themselves having to play more than one instrument but, as they say, the show must go on.
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