Even the toughest winters end with spring blossoms. Culture persists even when war breaks out, often coming back even stronger. Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv will introduce audiences to Eastern European masterpieces, including a symphonic poem by the most famous Ukrainian composer, Boris Lyatoshinsky.
The Moldau, Smetana’s work inspired by the great river that flows through the Czech Republic, laid the groundwork for the composer’s successor, Dvořák, whose compositions are peppered with nods to the region’s folk music. This comes through in his Violin Concerto, performed by the Ukrainian violinist Valeriy Sokolov, and The Golden Spinning Wheel, based on a Czech legend. Telling the tale of an innocent woman’s murder, this piece is a story about justice—the young victim ultimately comes back to life and fulfills the destiny that was promised to her.
Bedřich SMETANA, The Moldau
Antonín DVOŘÁK, Violin Concerto
Boris LYATOSHINSKY, Symphonic Poem, “Reunification”
Antonín DVOŘÁK, The Golden Spinning Wheel
