XIX Lviv Early Music Festival: the second and third days

13.08.2022
Description

After the concert of the Polish harpsichordist Urszula Stawicka, the Festival’s Preamble, the planned opening of the 19th edition of the Early Music Festival took place on August 11. The headliner of the event became the famous Ukrainian musician, researcher and cultural figure Taras Kompanichenko. He came from military unit A 4076 specifically to perform at the Festival, as he is currently defending Ukraine in the ranks of the Armed Forces. His two-hour performance was accompanied by thunderous applause from the audience and people singing along to almost every song.

Kobzar performed ancient Ukrainian music, chants and author’s songs, in particular, by famous Ukrainian figures. During the concert, he emphasized: “The museum of Hryhorii Skovoroda is now destroyed by Russian barbarians, but we will come back and rebuild it. Besides, if we read, recite, and stage Skovoroda, we will understand that it is impossible to destroy the philosophy that he preached to Ukrainians back in the 18th century. The spirit of freedom, the spirit of a free people, cannot be destroyed. We are aware of this and that is why we will win.

On August 12, there was also a concert by performers from Kyiv called “Eyes full of tears”. During the inspired performance of Nataliia Khmilevska, Roman Melish, Nataliia Fomenko and Dmytro Tretiak, listeners in the hall and online felt how European composers of the Renaissance and Baroque eras loved. A chamber concert of harpsichord and vocal music accompanied by basso continuo included in its program sophisticated English songs, passionate Italian madrigals, wistful German arias, colourful vocal duos… This performance was especially important during the difficult times of the war.

The moderator of the concert, Polina Kordovska, noted, “If tears were in your eyes today, they were tears of consolation, tears of relief, inspiration, and perhaps tears of hope. Just imagine how we will all cry on Victory Day.”

Here you can watch the recording of the concert:

The partners of the Festival are the Goethe-Institute Ukraine and Zamus: Zentrum für Alte Musik Köln.

You can find the detailed program of the Festival here.

Photo credit: Danylo Bedriy

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