Requiem concert in Kyiv recalls events of September 11 (09/29/02)

Requiem concert in Kyiv recalls events of September 11

KYIV - In an emotional and uplifting tribute, "A Requiem Concert in Memory of the Events of September 11" was held Friday, September 13, at the National Opera House in Kyiv.

The event was organized by ICTV channel, one of the leading national television channels in Ukraine, and Fakty, the country's widest circulating daily newspaper. The event was the brainchild of National Deputy Viktor Pinchuk, a businessman and an avid patron of classical music in Ukraine.

With music as their common language, the concert brought together close to 200 singers and musicians from around the world. Some 2,000 guests participated in the evening as a tribute to the sacrifice and heroism of 9/11 and as a symbol of the solidarity Ukrainians and Americans share in their will to overcome tragedy.

Volodymyr Spivakov, conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of Russia, led the musical tribute with the Academic Chorus of the National Opera of Ukraine under the direction of Lev Venediktov. Soloists Janice Chandier (U.S.), Elsa Maurus (France), Robert Lee (South Korea) and Desmonde Byrne (Canada) also performed.

Telling audience members that music is "the universal language with which we can express our common humanity and our feelings for the American people," Mr. Spivakov opened the evening with the solemnity of Mozart's requiem. He recalled the moment when he first heard about attacks - practicing with an American soloist music dedicated to themes of beauty and harmony and contrasting these with the horror and pain they shared. A visual montage of the events of 9/11 accompanied the eigth movement, "Lacrimosa."

The second half of the evening was dedicated to a renewed sense of innocence and hopefulness as expressed in Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker Suite," "Ballo Maschera" by Khachaturian, "Stars and Stripes Forever" by John Philip Sousa and "Adagio" by Alfred Shnittke.

Opening the second, life-asserting part of the concert, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Carlos Pascual said that, despite the September 11 tragedy, the spirit of the American people remains unbroken. "Life goes on and we should look into the future with optimism," stressed the ambassador.

Bill Clinton, former president of the United States, and Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York, also offered their thanks, via video, on behalf of the American people and the people of New York City.

Mr. Clinton remarked: "The outpouring of support shown by Ukrainians, everywhere, has been particularly meaningful to us. You have had your own experience recovering from the impact of a global catastrophe - Chornobyl. During my administration we were committed to building lies between our two countries. Now, more than ever, we share a unique understanding of the frailty of our common humanity. This has brought our countries closer than ever before. My thanks to President Leonid Kuchma and the people of Ukraine, for offering tonight's remembrance ... Let this concert be a celebration of the unbreakable human spirit we share and of the good will that binds us."

Mr. Bloomberg said: "New York and the world shared an unprecedented tragedy on September 11. We are forever bound by images of the terrorist attacks that took so many innocent lives that day. But we are also connected by our common admiration for the incredible acts of courage and kindness that followed. The good will of people from everywhere sustains us as we rebuild our city and repair our spirits. And tonight's requiem concert in memory of the events of September 11 is another powerful testament to our renewed sense of international solidarity. What better way to express this than through our common language - music."

Thanking performers for their moving tribute, President Kuchma remarked that while the language of music is able to express that which has no words, the depth of shared pain and compassion is the universal value that transcends nationality and boundaries.

On behalf of the Ukrainian people, President Kuchma presented a gift to the people of America, a the dramatic and soulful 10-foot rendering of eyes on the verge of tears, "Eyes of Christ" by Ukrainian artist Aleksander Postupnyi.

In a prayerful violin solo played against the gigantic eyes of the mural, the conductor brought the evening to a close with "Prayer" by Tomaso Albinoni, paying tribute to the sacrifice and heroism of 9/11 and reminding participants to always strive for the feeling of unity and solidarity that was created during the evening.

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