(MENAFN- UkrinForm) The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, led by the Ukrainian-Canadian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson, was held in New York's Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Theologian on Thursday, attended by hundreds of spectators, including diplomats accredited to the United Nations.
The gig is part of the orchestra's third world tour across Europe and the USA, according to Ukrinform's own correspondent.
As noted by the Permanent Mission of Ukraine in the UN, the Orchestra under the patronage of the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, "firmly protects Ukraine's cultural heritage of Ukraine on the art front."
"This is not just a music piece, it is a reminder to the world about the values of freedom, resolve, and resistance, as well as a powerful symbol of our struggle and resilience," the Permanent Mission noted.
The icing on the cake of the latest performance was a Ukrainian-language rendition of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, penned by Friedrich Schiller, which this year marks its 200th anniversary.
"Not only does art help us survive times of suffering and tragedies, it transforms mere existence into life," said Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN, who spoke ahead of the gig.
He recalled that Beethoven's melody became the official anthem of the European Union.
"Ode to Joy pierced the heart of my friend Keri-Lynn, who is currently performing it all over the world with the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, the third year into this brutal war of aggression," Kyslytsia said.
The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra was created on Wilson's initiative in cooperation with the New York Metropolitan Opera, Polish National Opera, Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN, Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the support from the Office of the Ukrainian President.
The orchestra includes Ukrainian musicians who were forced to leave Ukraine because of the war, as well as those who have long been performing in acclaimed theaters.
In its busy tour this July, the orchestra have already performed in Paris, Warsaw, Gdynia, London, and is yet to star in Washington DC on August 4.
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