Photos from the successful event Discover the Art Songs of Mykola Lysenko are in our gallery.
On May 26, 2008 Musica Leopolis hosted An Evening with Pavlo Hunka and Friends at The Richard Bradshaw Amphitheater
in the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
Click here to view the photos.
Internationally renowned British bass-baritone Pavlo Hunka joins a star-studded cast in the now-playing Canadian Opera Company's production of Pelléas et Mélisande.
Performances take place at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen St. W., Toronto, Ontario from May 6 to May 24, 2008.
In this Claude Debussy's only completed opera, Prince Golaud (Pavlo Hunka) discovers the mysterious Mélisande (Isabel Bayrakdarian, soprano) lost in the forest near his castle. Enchanted, he marries her and brings her to his home. There she is drawn to Pelléas, Golaud's half-brother (Russell Braun, baritone), and in time the two fall dangerously in love. Even though they never consummate their love, Golaud is very jealous. Ultimately, Golaud's jealousy leads to tragic consequences.
See the performance of Pelléas et Mélisande: May 6, 9, 14, 17, 20 and 22, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.; May 24 at 4:30 p.m.; and May 11 at 2:00 p.m.
Read The National Post review
here
Read The Globe and Mail review
here
An Evening with Pavlo Hunka and Friends
Discover the Art Songs of Mykola Lysenko
Monday May 26, 2008 6:30pm
Richard Bradshaw Amphitheater
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
145 Queen St. W. Toronto ON
(at University Ave)
Tickets: $75
For Tickets call: 416.769.5757
Or Purchase tickets at
Ukrainian Credit Union Limited
2397 Bloor St. W. Toronto ON
(at Armadale Ave)
The new recording by The Ukrainian Art Song Project is currently in production. The current efforts are focused on Mykola Lysenko, the father of Ukrainian classical music.
The documentation of Lysenko's art songs is a major endeavour - 124 songs, almost 4 times the size of the Stetsenko recording, almost 6 hours music. For this reason, 14 of Canada's foremost musicians have been invited to join the Lysenko project. Combined with the spearheading efforts of British bass-baritone Pavlo Hunka, we are pleased to welcome back our
previous collaborators Albert Krywolt, Russell Braun, Benjamin Butterfield and Roman Borys. In addition, Isabel Bayrakdarian, Allyson McHardy, Monica Whicher, Krisztina Szabó, Michael Colvin, Doug Stewart (flute),
Serouj Kradjian (piano), Mia Bach (piano), Elizabeth Turnbull and Robert Gleadow will also be applying their talents to the beauty of Lysenko's music.
Listen now to a preview of 8 tracks of Mykola Lysenko's work being compiled for the production.
The Ukrainian Art Song Project is currently producing the Art Songs of Mykola Lysenko recorded at the Glenn Gould Studios under the recording label Musica Leopolis. The Lysenko recording will be
complete by the end of 2008 and will be launched in early 2009.
Check back soon as more information is added.
The Art Songs of Kyrylo Stetsenko
The world premiere recording of the art songs of one of Ukraine's foremost classical
20th-century composers
Musica Leopolis is proud to announce the release its first CD – The Art Songs of Kyrylo Stetsenko. The Double CD set includes 42 songs composed by Kyrylo Stetsenko, performed by Pavlo Hunka with collaborating artists Albert Krywolt, Russell Braun, Benjamin Butterfield and Roman Borys.
The songs evoke the rich melodic lines of Tchaikovsky and Schumann. This release is highly recommended for all lovers of classical music!
"[Hunka's] approach to the more intimate form is splendid. Even without knowing Ukrainian..., you are drawn into the sentiment of the text through his gift for musical storytelling."
-Bill Rankin, The Edmonton Journal