For the first time in Ukraine, an opera by the famous Polish composer Jerzy Kornowicz will be performed in Ukrainian! This is a large-scale project of cooperation between the two largest philharmonics in Ukraine: on December 8, the performance will take place at the National Philharmonic of Ukraine (Kyiv) and on December 10 at the Myroslav Skoryk Lviv National Philharmonic.

A profound story for children, parents, and grandparents, revealing the true value of the family past of each of us against a broad historical background in contemporary realities. It is teaching us to learn about life and create love around us. This opera is a warm family film – a nostalgia for childhood, where life, full of hopes, dreams and faith in the best, is still ahead.

Artists:

• Anastasia Povazhna, soprano
• Stanislav Tsema, countertenor
• National Ensemble of Soloists “Kyiv Camerata”
• Nataliia Stets, conductor
• Maryna Ryzhova, director

Program:

Jerzy Kornowicz (Poland)

• Opera “Family Album” for soprano, countertenor, string orchestra and video projection (2023).

Libretto: Michal Rusinek. Author of the translation: Tetiana Korotun

Ukrainian premiere

Jerzy Kornowicz, composer: “Childhood is a time when we are in several worlds at once – perhaps least of all in the real world, because we have no idea about it. Perhaps this is a good thing. The child’s perception of parallel realities somehow rhymes with the knowledge of the adult world – we agree that we are surrounded by a wealth of forms and ambiguous sensations. We float in a suspended state of various laws and deviations from them and sensations that constantly surprise us. Neither childhood nor adulthood is a space of happiness, but a space of delight and surprise. And greed for constant cognition of oneself and reality. Reading the album, the characters discover their family past, which is also a universal story.”

Michal Rusinek, author of the libretto: “It was decided to be a child for a few weeks and write poems freely based on the biographies of my family members, and Jerzy Kornowicz wrote beautiful music for them. It seems to me that I have rather ordinary ancestors. But I’m also convinced that even a very ordinary family can be looked at from an extraordinary perspective: each of us has a strangeness, each of us has an adventure, each of us has an anecdote to tell. It doesn’t have to be completely true; the main thing is that it is accurate and entertaining for more than just ourselves. It’s also useful to draw a family tree with the help of imagination, and it’s useful to look through family photo albums.”

Maryna Ryzhova, director: “For me, this opera is a warm family movie, a nostalgia for childhood, where life, full of hopes, dreams and faith in the best, is still ahead.

The concert version of the production is based on the desire to move away from the illustration where adults play children. These are not events that happen here and now. The musical drama, including the peculiarities of the vocal parts, is interpreted retrospectively.

The characters find themselves in their parents’ house, which is being sold. They collect things that are of the greatest value to them. Their childhood is gone. Only boxes of important little things, old cartoon tapes and the future remain. The brother and sister will probably not see each other soon. It is so important not to forget in your adult life what was important to you as a child! And if you do, a family album will always help you remember.”