Ukrainian Opera presents show at Suffolk high school (12/28/80)

Ukrainian Opera presents show at Suffolk high school

by Laryssa Lauret

MASTIC BEACH, N.Y. - When Alicia Adreadis, our well-known Ukrainian contralto, asked me to be master of ceremonies for a variety show to be held in Suffolk County, under the sponsorship of the Town of Brookhaven Council on the Arts, I was not too keen on it. But when she mentioned that it was intended for high school students during their school day, and that one week prior to the show they would be studying all about Ukraine - its geography, its history, its political and socio-economic situation today - I immediately accepted.

Besides, it's extremely gratifying to watch an enthusiastic, young audience. When they like something, they let you know (and vice versa). They don't leave you guessing.

I was absolutely right. November 17, at William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach, we gave two performances for the youngsters. It was organized by the Ukrainian Opera Inc., which is headed by Miss Andreadis. It was a hit.

Assisted quite expertly by the William Floyd High School Orchestra, Miss Andreadis first sang Fomenko's "Love Ukraine," and the kids responded to it with cheers.

Then, the masterful virtuoso bandurist Julian Kytasty and Natalia Honcharenko from the New York School of Bandura, performed on the bandura and sang. It was probably the first time that the students in Mastic Beach, N.Y., had ever seen this unusual instrument, and they were quite fascinated by it. When, later on in the program, Mr. Kytasty played his greatuncle's - Hryhory Kytasty's - composition "Whisper in the Steppes," the kids clapped, whistled, stomped their feet and carried on as if they were at a rock star's concert.

They responded just as enthusiastically to the Tavria Dance Ensemble from New York, under the leadership of the nimble-footed Andre Kulyk. The Ukrainian "Hopak" leaps of the male dancers put the youngsters practically on their feet, so boisterous was their enthusiastic cheering.

When Miss Andreadis finished off the program with the Irish "Danny Boy," the students wouldn't let her get off the stage. There was an encore from "Love Story," and the show was over. For the kids it was over too soon.

When the lights came up, they crowded around me and kept asking: "These Ukrainian costumes, do people dress like that every day in Ukraine?" "How long does it take to learn to play that instrument with the many strings?" "Where are those artists from?" A question heard over and over again was: "Will you come back again, sometime?"

Well, there is good news. Apparently the Brookhaven Council on the Arts, buoyed by the enthusiastic response, wants to have the show repeated sometime soon - in the evening - so that the general public, too, can enjoy it. We'll let you know when and where. It might be worth the trip to Suffolk County.

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