Opalnyi Prynz
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder | Yuriy Shtyn, Rostyslav Shtyn |
| Headquarters | Lviv , Ukraine |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Opalnyi Prynz () stood out as a significant and well-known Ukrainian folk-rock ensemble that originated from the 1987 musical initiative Strus Mozku (Brain Concussion). This project was initiated following Yuriy Shtyn’s move to Lviv after completing his conservatory education; Yuriy is the younger brother of Rostyslav Shtyn.
The original group featured the Shtyn siblings, along with Roman Brytsky, Boris Rosenthul, and actress Lyudmila Razik. This formation later transformed into Opalnyi Prynz, with Yuriy taking on songwriting duties as well as vocals and keyboards, Rostyslav handling guitar and vocals, and Brytsky joining as an additional keyboardist.
Their debut singles—Mandry (1987), Pozychayesh pamyat, Chorna Dira, Leonid Brezhnev, and Paskuda—garnered airtime on Radio Liberty and collectively comprised their first album, Mandry. Later releases included politically themed songs such as Tankova attaka (1989), which featured saxophonist Zenon Kovpak, and Hey Ukraino!, the opening track of their sophomore album.
The 1991 release Nova Revolyutsia, which incorporated lead guitarist Toomas Vanem, achieved sales of 30,000 copies but encountered censorship by Soviet authorities due to its patriotic Ukrainian content. Tracks like Nova Revolyutsiya and Hey Ukraino! were swiftly withdrawn from government-controlled retail outlets.
Music analyst Oleksandr Yevtushenko recognized Opalnyi Prynz for their pioneering contribution to Ukrainian rock music by fusing traditional ethnic elements with rock, while underscoring their financial and technical self-sufficiency. The band’s partnership with a German producer facilitated distribution beyond the Iron Curtain. Their music video for Nash Prapor was broadcast on Ukrainian television throughout 2000 and reportedly aired on MTV in celebration of Ukraine’s 1991 independence.
A fundamental business strategy for both Opalnyi Prynz and Rostyslav Shtyn was to preserve independence from state authorities in terms of finance and technical resources. To support this, Rostyslav founded the cooperative Holos Studio in 1987, which later developed into Rostyslav-show, providing essential production capabilities.
Primarily focused on studio recordings, Opalnyi Prynz seldom engaged in live performances. After Ukraine gained independence, their activities diminished but included involvement in the 1992 initiative Vernsiage-92. Nova Ukrainiinska Khvylia. Plans for a European tour alongside Vika Vradiy were ultimately canceled.
Subsequent to these events, Yuriy Shtyn collaborated with Vlad Dobriansky in the progressive music endeavor Looney Pelen.