Foto: Karpati & Zarewicz
The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra was founded in 2022 as a reaction to Russia’s full-scale invasion – on the initiative of the Metropolitan Opera New York and the Polish National Opera. It brings together refugee musicians and Ukrainian members of leading European orchestras. Under the conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson, who herself has Ukrainian roots, the orchestra sends a musical signal for freedom and solidarity on 25 February 2025. One day after the third anniversary of the Russian attack, it performs a moving programme at the Teatr Wielki, the Grand Theatre in Warsaw: Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, whose famous ‘Ode to Joy’ is regarded as an anthem for peace and humanity, forms the centrepiece of the evening. The speciality: The choral part – Friedrich Schiller’s great manifesto of freedom, resistance and progress ‘Ode to Joy’ – is sung by soloists and choir in Ukrainian. The encore is also particularly symbolic: “We Do Exist!” is the title of the work by Yuri Shevchenko, which is a paraphrase of the melody of the Ukrainian national anthem.
Recorded on the 25th of February 2025 in Warsaw.
Watch the complete concert on ARTE-Concert
Programme:
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D minor
Yuri Shevchenko: ‘We Do Exist!’
Orchestra: Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra
Conductor: Keri-Lynn Wilson
Soloists: Olga Bezsmertna (soprano), Nataliia Kukhar (alto), Vasyl Solodkyy (tenor), Vladyslav Buialskyi (bass)
Director: Andreas Morell
Audio Producer: Vilius Keras, Aleksandra Kerienė
Director of Photography: Henning Brümmer
Camera: Martin Baer, Maik Behres, Magdalena Bojdo, Dominik Kaniewski, Desi Kunsa, Janusz Szymański, Emil Wichert
Editor: Jakob Wehrmann
Commissioning Editor ZDF: Rebecca Gross
Producers Teatr Wielki: Aleksandra Kula, Paweł Marzec
Producers 3B: Maria Willer, Bernhard von Hülsen
A production of 3B-Produktion GmbH and Teatr Wielki
in co-production with ZDF
in co-operation with ARTE, Suspilne Ukraine, TVP
