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Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra to perform in Warsaw three years after Russia invaded

17.02.2025 00:15
The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra will hold a special concert in Warsaw on February 25 to mark three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra
Ukrainian Freedom OrchestraPolish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage/twitter.com/kultura_gov_pl

The concert will include Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and feature Ukrainian soloists Olga Bezsmertna (soprano), Nataliia Kukhar (mezzo-soprano), Vasyl Solodkyy (tenor), and Vladyslav Buialskyi (bass-baritone).

The Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Choir from Białystok, in north-eastern Poland, will also take part in the performance.

Founded in 2022, the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra is led by Canadian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson, who has Ukrainian heritage.

She conceived the idea of forming an ensemble composed of Ukrainian musicians—both those who fled war-torn areas and those already performing in orchestras across Europe.

The upcoming concert will be held at the Polish National Opera, which partnered with New York's Metropolitan Opera to establish the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra.

Since its inception, the ensemble has performed on three international toursin the summers of 2022, 2023 and 2024thanks to support from the Polish National Opera and the Met.

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, starting the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II.

Monday marks the 1,089th day of the war.

(mk/gs)