The First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, held a meeting with Peter Gelb, the General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera, and Keri-Lynn Wilson, the leader of the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, during their visit to Lviv.
The President's wife thanked them for their principled support of Ukraine from the first days of the Russian invasion.
"I'm happy to meet with you again. And I'm especially glad that this time our meeting is taking place in Ukraine. I'm grateful to you for your consistent and clear stance on supporting Ukraine and the projects that amplify the voice of Ukrainian culture on the international stage," she said.
On March 14, 2022, the Metropolitan Opera hosted the "Concert for Ukraine," which was one of the first performances organized following the Russian invasion. On February 24, 2023, the anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, "For Ukraine: A Concert of Remembrance and Hope" was held.
In 2022, as a gesture of solidarity with Ukraine, the Metropolitan Opera and the Warsaw Opera became co-founders of the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra (UFO), with Keri-Lynn Wilson appointed as its head.
In August-September 2022, the orchestra brought together about 80 young Ukrainian musicians, including forcibly displaced persons. Starting its inaugural tour with a performance at the Warsaw National Opera, the orchestra performed a total of 11 concerts on prominent stages in Europe and North America (London, Munich, Amsterdam, New York, Washington, D.C., etc.). In 2023, the orchestra's concert tour included eight concerts in Europe (Warsaw, Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam, London, etc.). Plans for 2024 include performances in Europe and the United States.
The concert programs of the orchestra always include a Ukrainian component, featuring music by Valentin Silvestrov, Yevhen Stankovych, Myroslav Skoryk, Yurii Shevchenko. Ukrainian soloists, such as Liudmyla Monastyrska, Anna Fedorova, Dmytro Popov, Olga Kulchynska, also perform as part of the concerts.
This is the second time in 2023 that Keri-Lynn Wilson has come to Ukraine to conduct the Lviv Opera Orchestra as part of a special concert, "Dedicated to Unbreakable Ukraine."
"I admire her desire to collaborate with Ukrainian musicians and perform music by both contemporary Ukrainian composers and classical musicians," commented Olena Zelenska.
On December 16 at 5:00 PM, under the baton of Keri-Lynn Wilson, the soloists, choir, and orchestra of the Lviv National Opera performed Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and the symphonic composition "Nova. A Tribute to the Bravery of Ukraine" by contemporary composer Victoria Poliova. The conductor prepared a special gift for the audience: the finale of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony was performed in Ukrainian.
"For me, it's a great honor to be here again in Ukraine, conducting the 9th Symphony in Ukrainian. It will invigorate the listeners to continue the fight. In Victoria Poliova's work, I am impressed by the power and expressiveness of the music, which, on one hand, realistically embodies the events occurring in Ukraine, and on the other, symbolizes the thirst for victory," noted Keri-Lynn Wilson.
Peter Gelb, the General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera, was present at the event as an honorary guest.
During the meeting with Peter Gelb and Keri-Lynn Wilson, the First Lady expressed gratitude for the event, its energy, and inspiration.
She also discussed current and future cultural cooperation, including the continuation of the Metropolitan Opera's internship program for musicians from Ukraine and the production of a Ukrainian opera that has already been commissioned for contemporary composer Maxim Kolomiiets.
The parties also discussed a possible performance by the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra during the 2024 Olympics to be held in Paris, France. It is planned to dedicate it to supporting Ukrainian art schools.