Dyletsky: Must hear. Press Release

Dyletsky: Must hear. Press Release

The project “Dyletsky: Must hear” is the next stage of partes laboratory Musica Sacra Ukraina, founded in 2019. It is the initiative launched by Open Opera Ukraine to study, perform, and showcase vocal Ukrainian baroque music. The project’s aim is to promote the heritage of an extremely important composer in Ukrainian baroque culture – Mykola Dyletsky, as well as other composers of the time in a way that corresponds with the modern trends in early music performance.

The project includes recording and audio album presentation of M. Dyletsky’s works and other anonymous partes compositions. The program will be executed by the professional vocal ensemble “Partes” that specializes on baroque performance. The recording will take place in an authentic space – st. Cyril’s Church in the National conservation area Sophia of Kyiv. The release will be uploaded on the internet-resources Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube music. The concert and presentation will be held in st. Cyril’s Church, and live streaming will be available on the platforms of Open Opera Ukraine and Open Theatre in September the 17th.       

The conceptual center of the project is composer’s masterpiece – the Resurrection Canon. For the first time this composition will be realized in two versions. Previously known version is the one that academician N. Herasymova-Persydska found among the manuscript and archival funds of the National Library of Ukraine named after V. Vernadskyi, and published in 1976 and 1981. One of the eight choral parts was presumed to be lost. Therefore it was reconstructed for edition by a musicologist and professor of Lviv conservatory J. Jakubiak. A new version, found in the 2000s, is complete. A contemporary researcher of Ukrainian partes music, doctor of Art, Olha Shumilina transcribed and edited it specifically for the project.

The compositional technique and aesthetic value of the piece allows us to include the Resurrection Canon in the list of the most prominent works of Ukrainian professional music. It may become one of the national cultural symbols in the dimension of musical art, and gain the same recognition as “Shchedryk” of M. Leontovych or M. Lysenko’s “Prayer for Ukraine” over time. The main idea of the sacred text – the victory of light and life over death and darkness – corresponds with existential principles of today’s Russian-Ukrainian war.

The project “Dyletsky: Must hear” also presents in an audio recording other less known anonymous partes compositions – concerts for 12 voices: “Alas, o my wretched soul”, ”Adam sat before the gates of Eden”, “I think upon the fearful day”, and for 6 parts “The end is drawing near, my soul”. Their remorseful and woeful mood and insight into the complex and controversial inner world of one’s soul is juxtaposed with joyful praise and bright celebration of Resurrection. 

The realization of current partes laboratory program was possible due to support of Ukrainian Cultural Foundation. The project partner is the museum st. Cyril’s Church in the National conservation area Sophia of Kyiv.

Anna Hadetska – programme director of Open Opera Ukraine: “Dyletsky is a master who personifies extremely complex and multilayered cultural identity, that allow us to uncover its formation processes in the 17th century Ukraine, as well as find the parallels with contemporaneity. This release reopens the unique Ukrainian heritage, which we are proud of, and that enables us to present our culture to the world. Therefore, Dyletsky indeed must be heard!”

Nataliya Khmilevska – choir master, singer, director of the vocal ensemble “Partes”: “The works of Mykola Dyletsky reveal his entrenchment in the powerful polyphonic tradition of western European renaissance and baroque; showcase his distinct individual artistic vision, which is grounded on peculiarities of Ukrainian music tradition, that appeals to monodic singing of eastern Christianity, kant choral disposition, etc. They visualize perfectly the continuity of Ukrainian musical tradition, its parity and connection with other European baroque musical cultures. The Resurrection Canon itself enables us to understand subsequent processes of development in Ukrainian multi-voiced choral music”.

Nataliia Kliuchynska – musicologist, scientific advisor of the project: “Mykola Dyletsky’s music is an example of profound and comprehensive realization of sacred texts. The syncretism of the composer’s musical language evokes the same diverse perception in listeners via their emotional, intellectual and spiritual experience. The Resurrection Canon is one of the splendid masterpieces of baroque culture, a monument of European musical heritage that deserves to be recognized worldwide”.   

Olha Shumilina – doctor of Art, professor of the music theory department in Lviv national music academy named after M. Lysenko: “The Resurrection Canon of Mykola Dyletsky is sensationally brilliant and accomplished composition for the second half of the 17th century. It reveals a very high level of compositional technique that outpaced its epoch. That is the reason why among other composer’s works it was the Canon that drew attention of performers and scientists, and consequently has been published and recorded twice up until now. It is time to make public the new version of the Resurrection Canon, in which the reconstructed part will be substituted by an authentic one”.

Event on the Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/events/979773879741764

Link for streaming – https://youtube.com/live/nobjWb-X2g8?feature=share

For the additional information call +380 97 984 61 25, +380 99 630 74 46 or write to pr@openopera.com.ua

www.openopera.com.ua

www.facebook.com/OpenOperaUkraine/

Open Opera Ukraine is an independent non-governmental platform that operates to form new approaches in audience perception of academic music and opera art. Its methods are creation of new modern opera productions, audience education, and support for the young talented professionals. The special emphasis Open Opera Ukraine puts on baroque music, introducing the tools of Historically Informed Performance. Among the projects realized by Open Opera Ukraine, including those supported by Ukrainian Cultural Foundation, there are opera productions of Henry Pursell’s “Dido and Aeneas” (10 performances in 6 Ukrainian cities), George Frideric Handel’s “Acis and Galatea”, the instigation of study and presentation of Ukrainian partes concerts “Musica Sacra Ukraina: Partes Dimension” (the concert “Kyiv citizen”, CD of partes concerts from the 17th-18th centuries (Dyletsky and anonymous authors), concerts and workshops in 4 Ukrainian cities “Open partes: Unlimited Communication”. Open Opera Ukraine provides educational and performing activity in collaboration with the internationally famous musicians, such as Emma Kirkby, Illia Korol, Jörg Halubek, Jörg Zwicker, Olha Pasichnyk, Yurij Minenko, and others; supervises amateur choirs B.A.CH and Holosni.

Ukrainian Cultural Foundation is a state institution, established in 2017 on the basis of the Law of Ukraine. Its aim is to facilitate the national culture and arts development, to provide the favorable circumstances for potential intellectual and spiritual growth of the individuals and society, to ensure a free access of Ukrainian citizens to the national cultural heritage, to support the cultural diversity and integration into the international cultural space. Accordingly to the current legislation, the foundation’s activity is directed and coordinated by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine. The project support is provided on a competitive basis.