First Lady attends special concert ‘Dedicated to Unbreakable Ukraine’ at Lviv National Opera

On December 17, 2023, First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska attended a special concert, ‘Dedicated to Unbreakable Ukraine’, at Lviv National Opera.

The relevant statement was made by Lviv Regional Military Administration on Facebook, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The orchestra was conducted by Keri-Lynn Wilson, the renowned Canadian conductor of Ukrainian origin.

“The event was attended by First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska. She spoke to the famous Canadian conductor and her spouse, Peter Gelb, the General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera, about future cultural cooperation, namely a possible performance by the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra during the 2024 Paris Olympics,” the report states.

During the concert, the audience was presented Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and the symphonic composition “Nova. A Tribute to the Bravery of Ukraine” by contemporary composer Victoria Poliova.

This is the second time in 2023 that Keri-Lynn Wilson has come to Ukraine to conduct the Lviv Opera Orchestra. The conductor has been showing support for Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion.

On March 14, 2022, the Metropolitan Opera hosted the ‘Concert for Ukraine’, which was one of the first performances organized following the Russian invasion. At that time, Keri-Lynn Wilson was appointed Head of the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra, which brought together about 80 young Ukrainian musicians, including forcibly displaced persons.

In addition, the Metropolitan Opera launched an internship program for Ukrainian musicians.

Photo: Lviv Regional State Administration