WEEK, JUNE 23-30, 2001
During Visit of Pope John Paul II To
Ukraine
Composer Myroslav Skoryk
Lviv State Academic Theater for Opera and Ballet
Lviv, Ukraine, June 23-30, 2001.
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"Moses", A New Opera By
Myroslav Skoryk
The Curtain Is About To Rise On A Historic Moment
Lviv, Ukraine, June 13, 2001...The Lviv Theater for Opera and Ballet is in its final stages of preparation for the world premiere week of the opera "Moses", June 23-30, 2001. Work on this project was started over two years ago. Composer Myroslav Skoryk has put his finishing touches on the composition and the |
Prologue...The narrator is speaking about the wonderings in the desert and the hardships. The narrator role is portrayed by Ihor Kushpler. |
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libretto for Moses, written by Bohdan Stelmakh and Myroslav Skoryk, has been completed. The soloists and choir are excited and are eagerly awaiting the world Premier. The orchestra has completed it's rehearsals and is ready for the conductor, Mykhaylo Dutchak, to raise his baton. Director/producer Zbigniev Khshanovskuj has said, "Everything is ready, let the orchestra begin, let the curtain rise." Tadey Eder, director of the Lviv Theater, said during an interview, the theater has completed all of the stage work and the final dress rehearsal has been held. The Lviv Theater for Opera and Ballet is ready for the world premiere. |
The Opera Moses Begins With A Prolog. |
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Act I, Scene I, Lea and Joshua, two young lovers, followers of Moses. Lea is portrayed by Vira Koltun, and the role of Joshua is sung by Vitalij Liskovetskyj. |
The Lviv Theater celebrated its centennial in the fall of 2000. The Theater is a majestic, classical building decorated in a lavish style with an ornately detailed interior which rises to a stunning handpainted ceiling and an elaborate chandelier. The beautiful building, whose construction began in 1896, dominates the Lviv central square. It is truly a marvelous work of architecture in which to have the world premiere of "Moses". Eder said the premiere is set to coincide with the arrival of Pope John Paul II in Ukraine. The eyes of the world will be on Kyiv and Lviv during the visit of the Pope and for the world premier of the opera "Moses". Thousands of people are preparing and eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Pope and the premiere of the opera. |
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Pope John Paul II and the Vatican have supported the production of Moses financially and spiritually. This is the first opera written on a biblical subject in Ukraine since the revolution over 80 years ago. "Moses" will be performed in the Ukrainian language. "Moses" is based on a poem by Ivan Franko, the renowned Ukrainian poet who received the inspiration to write the poem from a painting of Moses he saw in a church. The poet was very inspired by the figure of Moses. The poem was written early in the 20th century, around 1905, but its message is just as alive now as it was then and when Moses actually led his people out of Egypt. |
Moses With His People -- Act I. |
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Act I...Moses With His People Calling Them to God |
Moses Pleads With The People |
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Franko chose the heroic figure and story of Moses to represent the conditions Ukraine found itself in over 100 years ago. The uses the final moments of Moses life in his poem when Moses is struggling to lead his people into the promised land with is so close but yet so far away. |
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The People Dance and Worship The Golden Calf .Act One Ends. |
The opera is in two acts with a prolog and epilog. The powerful prolog presents a narrator who speaks exactly the words Franko wrote, about a repressed people and a country that is washed in the tears and blood of its people. The prolog proclaims the values of beauty, healing and liberation. Act I rolls out the story of Moses, his struggle for leadership, and his passion to lead his people to God. Two young lovers, Lea and Joshua are for Moses. Aviron and |
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Act I, Scene II, the followers of Moses reject his call to worship God and decide to worship the Golden Calf.
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Datan are against Moses. The people have been wondering in the desert far too long and are tired. The people take sides, for and against Moses. In scene two of the first act Moses tells the people about God. Aviron tells the people not to listen to Moses. Datan and Aviron call on the people to stone Moses. They chase Moses away, Moses is banished from the camp. The people decide not to worship God and are found dancing around and worshipping the Golden Calf, Vaala, at the end of Act I. |
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| Act II -- Moses Pleads With God For His People. The Aging Leader In The Last Hours Of His Live And The Struggle To Lead His People To The Promised Land...His Overpowering Love For His People | Act II -- Moses and the Evil Spirit... The Evil Spirit Makes Fun of Moses,Taunts Him, Laughs At Him, Tempts Him |
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Act II, scene one, finds Moses alone in the desert crying out to God. The evil spirit Azazel appears and asks Moses about his promise to free his people. Moses calls on |
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Moses Prays To God To Lead Them Into The Promised Land |
Jehova and goes into the mountains to pray. The choir appears and Moses asks God to remove the curse on the people and the country. Moses finally falls from exhaustion. In scene two of the second act Josavetta, the spirit of Moses mother appears, and sings about the terrible situation in the country. Azazel, the evil spirit, joins Josavetta. They sing about destruction and laugh at Moses. Moses feels his people will suffer future hardships and calls on Jehovah. Moses finally cries out that Jehova has deceived him and falls while surrounded by satonic laughter and the approaching storm. |
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The voice of Jehovah is heard in the third scene of the second act. The sound of thunder, storms and winds are heard. Jehovah speaks about the penalty that will be put on Moses and he will never see the promised land. A search for Moses begins. People are afraid he is dead. Lea and Joshua support Moses. The two who were against Moses, Aviron and Datan are brought forth. One is stoned and the other is hanged. Lea and Joshua issue a call to arms, to march, to fight. The opera closes with an epilog in which the narrator, Lea and Joshua, and the choir call out for peace. Peace for the people, the land and with God. They have not yet arrived in the Promised Land. |
Act II -- Moses, The Spirit of His Mother Josevetta, and the Evil Spirit, Azazel Sings About the Trials Of The People...Josevetta and Azazel Laugh Together At Moses... Moses is portrayed by bass Oleksander Hromysh, Josevetta by mezzo-soprano Natalia Svoboda and Azazel by tenor Oleksiy Danylchuk |
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The Epilog...All The People Join Together and Sing About Peace For Themselves, for Their Land and with God They Have Not Yet Arrived At The Promised Land. |
The Epilogue...The People Sing About the Future And Ask God For Peace And The New Land |
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Composer Skoryk presents very powerful and appropriate music with the libretto, which is sung dramatically by the soloists and the large choir. Many of the scenes are dark, haunting and moving. Those who have seen the dress rehearsals come away with high praise for the music and the entire production. Critics are already calling "Moses" an outstanding contribution to the arts on an international level worthy of being premiered in one of the finest opera houses in the world. "Moses" could well end up a classic for the ages. |
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Moses is behind stage between Act I and Act II |
Moses is portrayed by bass singer Oleksander Hromysh, the narrator is Ihor Kushpler, Azazel, the demon, is played by tenor Oleksiy Danylchuk and the mother of Moses, Josavetta, is mezzo-soprano soloist Natalia Svoboda. There are more than 320 persons involved in the total production. The composer Myroslaw Skoryk also serves as the musical director. The stage is set, the choir is ready, the soloists are eager to perform and the curtain is about to go up on the world premiere performance of the opera "Moses" in the Lviv Theater for Opera and Ballet in Lviv, Ukraine. |
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Pro-W (Ukraine), an affiliate of ProW International Corp. of New Jersey (USA), together with a Belgian/ Polish bank's affiliate in Ukraine: Western Ukrainian Commercial Bank (ZUKB) formed a partnership which has ensured the production of "Moses" and will enable this outstanding work to be seen and heard worldwide. The partnership has provided support and financing for this new work of Ukrainian musicians and artists. Financing the production of major new works of art and culture in the post-Soviet republics such as Ukraine has been most difficult.The Lviv Theatre and all of those involved in the production of "Moses" have expressed their appreciation for the outstanding support received from the people at ProW (Ukraine) and the Western Ukrainian Commercial Bank and for all the support they have received during the past two years. |
Moses Director/Producer Zbigniev Khshanovskyj Adjusts Costume Of Moses Portrayed by Bass Singer Oleksander Hromysh |
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Recordings of "Moses" will be available in cassettes, CD's, videos and shortly in DVD's. Opera materials will be available at the Premiere and in Ukraine during the visit of the Pope. Materials can be seen on the website: www.LvivOpera.org/eshop for those who would be interested.
The photos with this story are courtesy of ArtUkraine.com and Pro-W International Corp.and can be used with proper credits to ArtUkraine.com and Pro-W (Ukraine).
Further Information, Photographs, Recordings, Interviews
With The Artists And Other Requests Please Contact:
Walter Prochorenko, Kyiv, Ukraine
380 44 293 2493
380 44 293 1505
1 212 658 9220 (USA)
walter@ukraine-today.com
www.LvivOpera.org
OR
E.Morgan Williams, Washington, D.C.
202 437 4707
ArtUkraine@starpower.com
www.ArtUkraine.com
"Moses" List of Characters/Soloists --
| Moses: | Oleksander Hromysh |
| Datan: | Andrij Beniuk |
| Azazel: | Oleksij Danylchuk |
| Lea: | Vira Koltun |
| Narrator: | Ihor Kushpler |
| Joshua: | Vitalij Liskovetskyj |
| Mother of Moses: | Natalia Svoboda |
| Aviron: | Stepan Stepan |
"Moses" Production --
| Director of the Theatre: | Tadey Eder |
| Composer: | Myroslav Skoryk |
| Libretto: | Bohdan Stelmakh, Myroslav Skoryk |
| Director/Producer: | Zbigniev Khshanovskyj |
| Conductor: | Mykhailo Dutchak |
| Scenery: | Tadey and Mykhailo Ryndzak |
| Costumes: | Oksana Zinchenko |
"Moses" Recordings --
| General Producer: | Walter Prochorenko |
| Financial Director: | Lina Artemyshyn |
| Producer: | Andrij Rizol |
| Director/Editor: | Natalia Rudik |
| Design: | Zina Sukhaya |
| Manager: | Anna Lazurenko |
| PR/Distribution: | Oleksander Yevtushenko |
| Production/Internet: | Oleksander Popravka |