The programme of the Arts Festival "Velvet Season at the Odessa Opera - 2021" 22.08 - 15.09. Dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Ukraine's independence.

The Velvet Season at the Odessa Opera Festival is one of the largest opera and ballet festivals in Ukraine.

Gala-Opera

22 August | Sunday | 7 pm

The grand opening of the festival will take place with a concert programme "Dedication to Ukraine", which accumulates the best examples of Ukrainian and world music classics and works by contemporary Ukrainian composers in a single festive space of the concert.

The main message of this large-scale international concert - the opening can be defined as follows - "UNITY. FREEDOM. INDEPENDENCE". Embodying this message, the organizers of the festival invited to participate in the programme stars of the National Opera of Ukraine, prominent opera performers from the Czech Republic, Belarus, Moldova, Latvia, who together with the unsurpassed soloists of Odessa Opera, choir and orchestra will present unforgettable moments of patriotic uplift festival.

Behind the conductor's console this evening - the chief conductor of the theatre, musical director of the project Vyacheslav Chernukho - Volich, Honoured Artists of Ukraine Igor Shavruk, Igor Chernetsky, Vitaliy Kovalchuk. An outstanding contemporary conductor, Honoured Artist of Ukraine Andriy Yurkevych has been invited to participate in the project.

Carmina Burana

29 August | Sunday | 7 pm

Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana is probably the most frequently performed choral work of the 21st century. The name has Latin roots – 'Carmina' means 'songs', while 'Burana' is the name of the Benedictine monastery of Benediktbeuren in Bavaria.

Carmina Burana is divided into three sections – Springtime, In the Tavern and The Court Of Love – preceded by and ending with an invocation to Fortune. Written between 1935 and 1936 for soloists, choruses and orchestra, it was originally conceived as a choreographed stage work.

Conductor-Producer: chief conductor of the theatre Vyacheslav Chernukho-Volich
Conductor: Honoured Artist of Ukraine Igor Сhernetski
Choirmaster- stage director: Valery Regrut
Choirmaster: Ivan Gazinsky
DIirected by: Gerard Mosterd
The Choreographer: Gerard Mosterd
Choreographer's assistant: Julia Mitomi
Set designer: Stephen Demedts
Videography: Sibe Kokke
Children's choir leader: Larisa Garbuz

La Bohème

31 August | Tuesday | 7 pm

La Bohème  is an opera in four acts, composed by Giacomo Puccini  between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème (1851) by Henri Murger.

The story is set in Paris around 1830, and shows the Bohemian lifestyle (known in French as "la bohème") of a poor seamstress and her artist friends.

Theatre's Principal Conductor: Vyacheslav Chernukho-Volich
Director: Jean-François D’hondt
Assistant: Mihaela Panainte
2nd assistant: Tamara Forsiuk
Stage designer: Mark Cnops
Costume designer: Nancy Avondts
Choirmaster: Valery Regrut

"Ukrainian Odyssey"

5 September | Sunday | 6.30 pm

The National Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of the People's Artist of Ukraine Hobart Earle is invited to participate in the Festival programme, the concert will take place on September 5.

Concert of popular music "Ukrainian Odyssey", which will unite the most famous works of Ukrainian and world composers.

"Odessa Ballet Gala Classic & Modern". “Odessa. Ukraine. Europe"

11 September | Saturday | 8 pm

Odessa residents and guests will be able to spend an unforgettable evening on Saturday, September 11, on the Theatre Square, enjoying a bright dance performance - Ballet Gala. "Odessa. Ukraine. Europe". Holding open-air ballet concerts has already become a hallmark of the Festival and its powerful democratic message.

The programme includes fragments from the most popular ballets, modern ballet compositions to the music of Ukrainian composers and the grand premiere of Maurice Ravel's "Bolero" staged by Georgy Kovtun with the participation of the Odessa ballet dancers and world-renowned ballet performers.

"The Ark of Ukraine: Music"

15 September | Wednesday | 6.30 pm

The solemn end of the festival will take place on September 15 (Wednesday) - a unique project "The Ark of Ukraine: Music" under the direction of the world-famous conductor, guest chief conductor Oksana Lyniv (Ukraine, Germany, Austria) is invited to participate.

The past, present and future of Ukraine "encoded" in the musical message "The Ark" should become the message to the current generation of Ukrainians that inspires, motivates to be proud, preserve and build their Independent Motherland.