The concert program was performed by the orchestra of the National Opera, under the baton of conductor and artistic director Herman Makarenko. The program included world classics as well as works performed in Ukraine for the first time. As the maestro declared, “May music become the paradigm of peace.” The concert began with the “Hymn to the United Nations” by Pablo Casals. During the 90- minute program the audience found itself on a breathtaking musical trip around the world: from Ukraine (overture to Lysenko’s Taras Bulba) to a different continent, North America, with Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue performed by the orchestra and Antoniy Baryshevsky, a young, gifted pianist and winner of international music competitions. African rhythms were followed by melodies from Australia. The orchestra acquainted the audience with Indian culture by performing Rahman’s Choti si asha (Bengalese for “small desire”). Listeners were captivated by colorful Chinese dancing music followed by Johann Strauss’s light and enchanting waltzes that were like glasses brimming with sparkling champagne. They were followed by the merry bravura of Ukrainian folk music, including “Rozpriahaite, khloptsi, konei” (Unharness the Horses, Boys) and the subtle melodism of compositions written by our celebrated contemporary composer Myroslav Skoryk (Spanish Dances).
The soiree featured two excellent singers, who are rightly considered ambassadors of Ukrainian art and who have performed on the world’s most prestigious stages: with her insightful performance of the aria from Brazilian Bachiana, Viktoria Lukianets, the prima donna of the Vienna Opera lifted the concert to a high level, which was maintained by our famous tenor Volodymyr Hryshko. He gave a beautiful performance of Lensky’s aria from Eugene Onegin. The 90-minute concert passed like a minute. The proceeds of the charitable concert will be channeled into child health care at the Okhmatdyt Pediatric Oncology and Hematology Center.
In the audience were representatives of almost every diplomatic mission accredited in Ukraine. The guests of honor included the First Lady, Kateryna Yushchenko, and Francis O’Donnell, head of the UN Mission to Ukraine.
“Over the decades Ukrainians have made a great contribution to the development of the United Nations Organization,” said Foreign Minister Borys Tarasiuk, adding that “today Ukraine is the leading country in terms of the highest number of peacekeeping missions in the world. We have every right to take pride in our achievements in the UN...Together with President Viktor Yushchenko, within the framework of this global organization, we are starting on a new stage of activities, as a resourceful, influential, and reliable member of international cooperation.”
The name of the concert, “Music of All Continents,” symbolizes the key UN idea: uniting the efforts of all nations to ensure peace on this planet, facilitating social progress, and creating conditions for the advancement of national cultures. Ukraine fully shares these ideas and will continue its activities in the UN in order to secure and implement them.
“On Oct. 24, 1945, 50 countries, including Ukraine, ratified the UN Charter. This date marks the beginning of UN history,” said parliamentarian Hennadiy Udovenko, the former foreign minister, in an interview with The Day. “In our country men retire at 60 years; but for the UN this is a time of maturity, so this organization can continue to effectively serve mankind along the basic directions that all people are facing today. Today the UN is modernizing. Ukraine is taking an active part in numerous projects held under UN auspices. Our country has a huge reputation; we are understood very well there. For our part, we hold the UN in high esteem as an organization that, if need be, will protect our national interests and our statehood. For example, in 1993 the Russian Duma passed a resolution stating that Sevastopol is a Russian city. We sent a delegation (led by Borys Tarasiuk) to the Security Council and managed to vindicate Ukraine’s territorial rights.
“It should be noted that during the years that Ukraine has participated in the UN as a founding member we have been elected a permanent member of the Security Council three times. Not every country can boast of such an honor. I was elected president of the UN General Assembly in 1997. I believe that ‘Music of All Continents’ has become a significant event in the cultural life of our country. I am a member of General Assembly’s Council of Presidents. There will be a meeting on Nov. 14, and I will be proud to tell them about how we celebrated the UN anniversary in Ukraine.”
