On September 23, on the 150th anniversary of Solomiya Krushelnytska, the grand concert “Solomiya. Brava!” was held on the stage of the Lviv National Opera with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, and the date of the singer’s birthday is included in the list of memorable dates under the auspices of UNESCO.
“The life and triumphs of Solomiya were closely connected with Italy, in particular, with the great Giacomo Puccini, who called Krushelnytska an ideal opera singer and “the most beautiful and charming Butterfly”. That is why yesterday’s performance was Italian-Ukrainian, the opera music of the great Italian performed by one of the best opera groups of Ukraine acquires a special meaning. The orchestra was conducted by Alberto Veronesi. And at the end we heard the voice of Solomiya herself, – said Oleksandr Tkachenko, Minister of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine. – All the soloists who represented the Opera Houses of Ukraine came on stage with flowers. There was an extremely moving atmosphere. Everyone thanked our Armed Forces for the fact that we are able to continue our work on the cultural front at such a time. Evenings like yesterday and the next two days are inspiring. They give an understanding that we are capable of raising our culture to the world level. Including thanks to such legendary figures as Solomiya Krushelnytska. I am grateful to all the artists, in particular the Lviv National Opera, its director Vasyl Vovkun, for an extremely successful, delicate and high-level concert. Solomiya, bravo!”
Solomiya Krushelnytska’s anniversary brought together the best opera performers of Lviv, Odesa, Kyiv, Dnipro and Kharkiv on stage. The star guest of the Grand Concert is the Italian conductor Alberto Veronesi, artistic and musical director of the prestigious Puccini International Festival at Torre del Lago.
During the concert, arias, choruses and ensembles from operas by Italian, French and German composers were performed, as Solomiya Krushelnytska herself performed approximately 60 opera parts in eight languages.
The program included excerpts from the operas Madama Butterfly and Manon Lescaut by G. Puccini, La favorite by G. Donizetti (where Krushelnytska made her debut), Carmen by G. Bizet, Faust by C. Gounod, Salome R. Strauss, Il trovatore, Ernani, Otello by G. Verdi, Tannhäuser, Lohengrin by R. Wagner.
The concert was broadcasted live on the YouTube channel of the Lviv National Opera. It can be viewed here. Before the concert, the opening of the exhibition about Solomiya Krushelnytska “History of Triumph” took place.
It should be reminded, all events dedicated to Solomiya Krushelnytskyi will take place at the Lviv National Opera from September 23 to October 2. As part of the celebration of the anniversary, the Lviv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after Solomiya Krushelnytska prepared a series of events for the anniversary of the great Ukrainian woman. The Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine created a website about the life of the singer – krushelnytska.mkip.gov.ua. After all, her story is a bright path to success of an extremely talented, charismatic and purposeful woman.
Partners of the event are MCIP,UNESCO, the State Agency of Ukraine on Arts and Artistic Education, the Embassy of Italy in Kyiv, the Italian Cultural Institute in Kyiv, the Puccini International Festival, the Solomiya Krushelnytska Musical Memorial Museum in Lviv, the Lviv State Music Lyceum named after Solomiya Krushelnytska.
