The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world and Episcopal Church, will be hosting The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra on Thursday, August 1 at 7pm as a part of their Beethoven Ninth Freedom Tour, presented in association with Lincoln Center. This will be the penultimate stop of the orchestra's international summer tour of the great cathedrals and concert halls of Europe and the United States.
Led under the baton of Canadian-Ukrainian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson, the performance aims to inspire a message of humanity, resistance and progress in defiance of oppression, while uniting people from around the world through music and community. Formed in 2022 as a direct response to Russia's invasion in Ukraine and a bold initiative to defend the county's cultural legacy, The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra is composed of Ukrainian refugees who have fled the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as Ukrainian members of other European orchestras.
The concert will open with a new work by acclaimed Ukrainian composer Victoria Vita Polevá entitled, “Freedom” - a piece created in memory of the innocent victims massacred by Russian invaders in the Ukrainian town of Bucha in 2022. It will also feature the orchestra’s unique version of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the symphony’s composition. The piece will be accompanied by a powerful vocal performance of Schiller’s poem, “Ode to Joy”, sung by the soloists and chorus in Ukrainian as an expression of freedom and resistance amidst the ongoing war.
Event Contact Information
Alexa Gallo
[email protected]