FULL Masters of Arts to the Great Kobzar Kharkiv 2002

Information on the Performance

• Work Title: Masters of Arts to the Great Kobzar  
• Composer: various  
• Libretto: various  
• Venue & Opera Company: Kharkiv State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after M. V. Lysenko (known today as KhNATOB / Skhid OPERA)  
• Recorded: March 9, 2002
• Type: Concert Semi-staged

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE

1. Key Scenes from the Opera “The Poet” (Поет)
Because Levko Kolodub’s “The Poet” had premiered at the Kharkiv Opera just a few months prior (in 2001), it served as the musical centerpiece for the 2002 Shevchenko celebrations.
• The Concept: A “biographical opera” that breaks away from traditional linear structures to showcase emotional snapshots of Taras Shevchenko’s life—spanning his youth, his time in St. Petersburg, his exile, and his undying love for Ukraine.
• What was performed: The program highlighted monumental choral movements and operatic solos that recreated the social and spiritual atmosphere surrounding the poet.

2. Traditional Gala Concert Program
The second half of the event featured a classic solemn gala structure bringing together the theater’s top soloists, choir, and orchestra:
• Choral Masterpieces: Choral arrangements of Shevchenko’s most famous poems set to music, heavily featuring Mykola Lysenko’s classic compositions (such as “Ivan Hus” or “Bieut porohy”).
• Vocal Solos: Performances of traditional Ukrainian art songs (romansy) based on Shevchenko’s poetry, as well as classic arias from Ukrainian operas like Taras Bulba (M. Lysenko) and Natalka Poltavka (M. Lysenko / I. Kotlyarevsky).
• Literary Recitations: Dramatic readings of Shevchenko’s iconic poetry performed by leading theater actors.
(Visited 18 times, 1 visits today)