(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Hope for Ukraine featuring Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine on Friday, February 17 at 7:30pm. The Hope for Ukraine: Classical Season Celebration includes a pre-show cocktail party, tickets to the performance, and a post-show reception.
Hope for Ukraine is this year’s focus for State Theatre’s annual Classical Season Celebration fundraiser. Created to acknowledge and celebrate the classical performing arts, all proceeds from this event support the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and year-round classical and education programming at the State Theatre. Hope for Ukraine is sponsored by Magyar Bank, a Central New Jersey institution with Hungarian heritage that recently celebrated their centennial anniversary.
“For over 100 years, Magyar Bank has been committed to making a difference in the communities that we serve and we are proud to support the Hope for Urkaine event and the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and State Theatre’s classical presentations,” said John Fitzgerald, President & Chief Executive Officer of Magyar Bank.
Classical Season tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available, call 732-247-7200, ext. 512. Concert tickets only are available at STNJ.org or 732-246-SHOW.
“We are excited to welcome our patrons and donors to Hope for Ukraine, our first Classical Season Celebration since the pandemic closure,” said Jane Nordell, State Theatre New Jersey Vice President of Development. “We are especially glad to welcome Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra to State Theatre New Jersey, and to use this occasion to not only raise much needed funds for our classical series, but also for the aid of the people of Ukraine.”
About the Program: Featuring Principal Conductor Theodore Kuchar and piano soloist Oksana Rapita, the program includes Stankovych’s Chamber Symphony No. 3 for Flute and String Orchestra; Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16; and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92.
Founded in 1902, the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine is one of the nation’s largest and most internationally renowned ensembles. During its first season, the orchestra performed nearly 115 concerts, featuring the symphonies of Beethoven and symphonic works by Mendelssohn, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, Liszt, Dvořák, Bruckner, Mahler, Saint-Saëns, and Tchaikovsky. Guest conductors for the first season included Richard Strauss, Gustav Mahler, Ruggiero Leoncavallo, and Mieczyslaw Karlowicz.
In 1933, the orchestra became incorporated as the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine and was led by Adam Soltys. He actively worked with the orchestra until 1938. During this period, the orchestra collaborated in performance with prominent composers Maurice Ravel, Béla Bartók, and Karol Szymanowski, as well as soloists Anton Rubinstein, Ferruccio Busoni, Wanda Landowska, Leopold Godowski, Jacob Milstein, and Eugene Ysaye, among many others.
Today, the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine tours extensively around the world, including Poland, Italy, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, and The People’s Republic of China. During the past several seasons, they have completed highly acclaimed recordings for major international labels including Naxos and Brilliant Classics.
After two seasons as the orchestra’s Principal Guest Conductor, Theodore Kuchar was appointed the Principal Conductor of the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine in 2022.
About the Soloist: One of the most prominent Ukrainian pianists of the present day, Oksana Rapita is a laureate of the Mykola Lysenko International Piano Competition (1984), and a top prize-winner at the Paloma O’Shea International Piano Competition (1990, Spain).
Rapita is a Professor at the National Music Academy in Lviv and over the past two decades she has trained more than 50 laureates of major international competitions.
The piano repertoire of Rapita includes works from the baroque to the present day. She has performed more than 20 world premieres of works by Ukrainian and foreign composers, taken part in numerous recording projects of music by Ukrainian composers including Stanislav Lyudkevych, Miroslav Skoryk, Yuriy Lanyuk, and Oleksandr Kozarenko, among many others.
For tickets, more information, or group discounts, call State Theatre Guest Services at 732-246-SHOW (7469) or visit online at STNJ.org. State Theatre Guest Services, located at 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick NJ, is open by phone and email only, Tuesday through Friday from 11:00am to 5:00pm. For in-person purchases, Guest Services is open Tuesday through Friday from 12:00pm to 4:30pm. Additional ticket and transaction fees may apply.
After major renovations, State Theatre New Jersey has reopened and celebrated its 100th Anniversary in December 2021 in a fully renovated theater including newly renovated lobbies, all new restrooms, upgraded HVAC systems, a new elevator for access to all levels, and brand-new theater seats. Originally built as a silent film and vaudeville palace, State Theatre’s historic significance was honored by PBS by featuring it in its documentary series, Treasures of New Jersey, in the fall of 2018. “Treasures of New Jersey: State Theatre New Jersey” can be streamed online. Today, State Theatre is the largest performing arts center in Central New Jersey and has welcomed more than six million people through its doors since reopening as a non-profit performing arts center in 1988. State Theatre New Jersey is a cornerstone of the cultural vitality of Middlesex County and averages a total economic impact on New Brunswick and the surrounding area of more than $18 million a year. The mainstage programs have featured high-caliber artists such as Diana Ross, Tony Bennett, Kevin Hart, Ringo Starr, Melissa Etheridge, John Leguizamo, Harry Connick, Jr., Diana Krall, and Crosby, Stills & Nash. Program offerings include Broadway, orchestra, family, dance, comedy, rock/pop, jazz, Performances for Schools, and Sensory-Friendly Performances.
State Theatre New Jersey’s programs are made possible by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund.
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