UK 23 September – 17 October
with 22 concerts nationwide
Excitement
is mounting for the Autumn tour of the magnificent
BOYAN ENSEMBLE OF KIEV
Sacred
Chants & Songs of Ukraine
a truly spine-tingling experience
Presenting a programme of
compelling intensity, the first half evokes the spiritual
drama and gold-encrusted atmosphere
of the Eastern Orthodox tradition, while in
the second, songs of
joy, humour and nostalgia convey the rich folk culture of
Ukraine. A
first-timer’s joyous impression was neatly summed up:
“CAssocks in Part
I, COssacks in Part 2”.
This year’s surprise
inclusion is a short tribute to the important Verdi bicentenary
with three well-known
works:
the beautiful soprano
aria, La Vergine degli angeli (Act 2 Force of Destiny);
the stirring Anvil Chorus
( Act 2 Il trovatore),
and the sparkling Brindisi
duet, Libiamo (Act 1 La Traviata)
For those who have not
heard them before, the Boyan Ensemble is known for its
mastery of vocal
technique, with delicately floated pianissimos and breathtakingly
brilliant fortes. A
line-up of superb soloists is featured throughout, including soprano
Valentina Ivanenko, the
only female voice, who complements the awesome
bass voices to great
effect. Spine-tingling stuff!
Boyan’s
26 members are drawn from Ukraine’s top professional male choir,
The
Revutsky Academic Male Capella, based in Ukraine’s capital city Kyiv.
“ Intense harmony,
astonishingly low notes, utterly glorious singing –
how did the basses
attain a bottom B flat so effortlessly?”
