FREE Live concert featuring Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra at Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center, NYC; presented in collaboration with the resident organizations of Lincoln Center.
August 18 & 19, 2022 at 7.30 pm
Donations are encouraged to organizations supporting the resettlement of Ukrainians
Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra / Image courtesy of the MetOpera
The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra will play at Lincoln Center in two free concerts, August 18 & 19. The powerful and symbolic international Freedom Tour includes recent refugees of the war, members of orchestras in other parts of Europe, and the leading musicians of Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, and Odesa.
In solidarity with the victims of the war in Ukraine, the Metropolitan Opera and the Polish National Opera brought these musicians together to create an orchestra for a European and American tour. The American performances will be held at Lincoln Center in a co-presentation of all eleven organizations on campus and, following, at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
The Ukrainian government is supporting the project by addressing the issues of allowing male musicians to put down weapons and take up their instruments in a remarkable demonstration of the power of art over adversity.
Conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson; Photo: Igor Zakharkin / Image courtesy of the MetOpera
Under the leadership of Canadian-Ukrainian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson, the Orchestra will perform a program that includes Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov’s Seventh Symphony and Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2, with Ukrainian virtuoso Anna Fedorova. Leading Ukrainian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska will perform the great aria “Abscheulicher!” from Beethoven’s Fidelio, a paean to humanity and peace in the face of violence and cruelty.
Soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska / Image courtesy of the MetOpera
While tickets to the concerts are free as the culminating events of Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City series, donations are encouraged to organizations supporting the resettlement of Ukrainians, such as Welcome.US. The organization’s Ukraine Welcome Hub serves as a central resource for information and resources on acts of welcome Americans can take to support displaced Ukrainians, including sponsorship.
Pianist Anna Fedorova; Photo: Marco Borggreve / Image courtesy of the MetOpera
United Airlines is generously supporting the American leg of the tour. The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra tour is generously supported by the Ford Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Ann Ziff, Chairman of the Metropolitan Opera.
Members of the New York and Ukraine artist communities will come together for an outdoor reception following the August 18 performance, in an opportunity to connect and offer support for Ukrainian artists.
CHOPIN – Piano Concerto No. 2, Anna Fedorova, piano
BEETHOVEN – “Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin?” (Fidelio), Liudmyla Monastyrska, soprano
BRAHMS – Symphony No. 4
Encore: Ukrainian National Anthem (string arrangement by Ukrainian composer Yuri Shevchenko)
Fri, Aug 19 Program
VALENTIN SILVESTROV – Symphony No. 7
CHOPIN – Piano Concerto No. 2, Anna Fedorova, piano
VERDI – “Qui Radames verrà!- Oh Patria Mia” (Aida), Liudmyla Monastyrska, soprano
DVORAK – Symphony No. 9
Encore: Ukrainian National Anthem (string arrangement by Ukrainian composer Yuri Shevchenko)
Co-presented by The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Film at Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Juilliard School, Lincoln Center Theater, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, the New York City Ballet, the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera, and the School of American Ballet.
Money raised from the full tour will go to support Ukrainian artists. Donations can be made to the Ministry of Culture at https://donate.arts.gov.ua/en.
