After the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, many artists initially fell silent. But most of them broke free from the shock and have since been committed to ensuring that independent Ukrainian culture is perceived worldwide and also appears as a political force. To this end, Lena Belkina has recorded old and new Ukrainian songs for her current album "Passion for Ukraine," which was nominated for an OPUS-Klassik. On 19 November, Lena Belkina and pianist Olena Zhukova performed further samples from this rich repertoire in Vienna's Ehrbarsaal.
A panel discussion followed the concert, discussing "Classical Music and Politics: The Role of Russian Imperialism" with musicologist and artistic director of the Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival Leah Batstone, Lena Belkina, and culture manager Oleksandra Saienko. The composer and radio host, Helmut Jasbar, moderated the panel discussion.
Please note that this was a charity concert, and tickets were available on a donation basis.
