Patch of Ukraine In Golden Triangle of Paris

A cozy street in the heart of Paris with euphonious name of Avenue de Messine is where Cultural and Information Center of Ukrainian Embassy in France is located. It is the 8th district of the French capital, called by Paris residents “Golden Triangle” – the area of Paris bounded by Avenue des Champs-Elysees, Avenue Montaigne, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore, George V Street, and Matignon. This is where the residence of the President, the Interior Ministry, a number of state buildings, many fashion boutiques, art galleries, prestigious antique shops, luxury hotels, and centers of high fashion are located.

Oleh YATSENKIVSKY, director of Cultural and Information Center of Ukrainian Embassy in France welcomed our small delegation that came from Kyiv with a symbolic concert program “Outstanding Ukrainian Artists. Composer Ivan Karabyts.”

Yatsenkivsky stressed that at the moment there are only two Cultural and Information Centers in the whole world: in Moscow and in Paris. He told us: “While Russian Cultural Center has been operating consistently for a long period of time, Ukrainian government was lucky to be able to purchase this building only in 2004. We are lucky to work in this building, which has its own history because one of its owners was famous actor Alain Delon. The well-known French actor lived here with the beautiful Romy Schneider. There remained a few things in the building, like photos on the walls and the old fireplace, which reminded of the romantic relationship between the movie stars. We settled in this building little by little. When I first came here, it seemed to me that some elusive aura of warmth and inspiration prevailed here. It would be an irreversible mistake to keep it closed. This building was created to be a heart of artistic life, for the intercultural dialogue as an outstanding line of activity and presence of Ukrainian culture in French information space is to a great extent shaping the international image of our country.”

Would you please tell us with what activities did the Center begin its work?

“The Cultural and Information Center is working on several programs, with the largest held under the patronage of Ukraine’s Ambassador to France Oleksandr Kupchyshyn and is called ‘Ukrainian Seasons in Paris.’ It is a very diverse action that includes a series of concerts, exhibits, and presentations. The Literary Club and Cinema Club are operating on a regular basis; writers, poets, critics, and cinema experts from both countries meet there and share their artistic achievements. We have done a big job of presenting the Euro-2012 program. Together with Polish colleagues we made the projects of presentations of the cities, where soccer matches are taking place now.

“I would like to especially highlight the work of ‘Art School’ for children of the Diaspora and French young people, who want to know more about our country. Olena Mistal, director of the School is a French citizen of Ukrainian origin. She is very energetic and initiative. She began working with children on very interesting projects. On Wednesdays and Saturdays our Center is filled with ringing children’s voices, singing and sounds of various musical instruments can be heard from every room. Classes at the school are controlled by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Ukraine – its experts periodically evaluate the level of knowledge of our graduates and give them a right for certified entry to universities in Ukraine.”

In your opinion what was interesting in the last concert for the French audience?

“First of all, I think they were interested in the fact that talented musicians from Kyiv, who came for ‘Ukrainian Seasons,’ launched a new project ‘Outstanding Ukrainian Artists.’ The night was dedicated to the memory of the great composer, conductor, pianist, and professor of Pyotr Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine Ivan Karabyts (1945-2002). It is very symbolic because the prominent public figure Karabyts did many things to promote Ukrainian-French relations. In the 1990s Karabuts as a member of UNESCO Commission organized a series of concert tours of the largest choir, Dumka, and the Symphony Orchestra of Radio and Television of Ukraine to the cities of France. Since that time these groups have developed close contacts and their friendship continues to this day. As the creative director of the International Music Festival ‘Kyiv Music Fest’ Karabyts invited French artists to Kyiv, in particular the well-known composer Marian Kouzan. And in 2002 the son of the composer Kyrylo Karabyts became the conductor of the orchestra ‘Radio-France.’

“I would like to note that professional performance of Ukrainian musicians greatly impressed French audience and won their hearts. Composer’s wife Marianna Kopytsia-Karabyts, professor at Pyotr Tchaikovsky National Music Academy of Ukraine told the visitors about artistic life of the bright musician and thanked everyone who was involved in the organization of this event. Roman Lopatynsky, winner of the First Prize and the Golden Medal of the International Competition for Young Pianists in Memory of Vladimir Horowitz, now a student at National Academy of Arts of Ukraine and Italian Academy of Arts masterfully performed piano works composed by Ivan Karabyts, Borys Liatoshynsky, and Maurice Ravel. Vocal pieces written by Ivan Karabyts on poetry of Borys Oliinyk from his Mother cycle and also romances by Claude Debussy, Jules Massenet, and Francis Poulenc were performed in an amazingly professional way by Tamara Khodakova, laureate of international competitions, soloist of the Kyiv State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, accompanied by Natalia Korolko.

“The Center assisted in organization of a number of concerts of talented Ukrainian children, including performances of talented children – winners of the Ways of Queen Anna Yaroslavna Competition, Kyiv Yunist Choreographic Ensemble, performance of the Magic Strings band on the Champ de Mars in Paris, concert of Ukrainian children from Bila Tserkva in Dunkirk, concert of Children’s Choir ‘Lybid’ from Kyiv in Toulouse, performance of the Horlytsia Ensemble at the festival of cultures of the world in Allier, performance of folk music ensemble ‘Vizerunok’ from the Ternopil Oblast Philharmonic Society and the Dudaryk Choir. In 2010 the presentation made by artists from Kyiv was a great success. Actors of Ivan Franko National Theater presented the play The Field of Blood based on writing of Lesya Ukrainka (starring Ostap Stupka and Dmytro Rybalevsky). French audience also remembers well tours of the Maria Zankovetska Lviv National Theater. This trip took place as a part of nationwide celebration of the 150th anniversary of Taras Shevchenko’s death and reburial. The company of the theater presented literary and musical composition Poslanie… based on writings of the great Kobzar performed by Bohdan Kozak, People’s Artist of Ukraine.

“‘Ukrainian Seasons’ has become a tradition that helps strengthening cultural ties between Ukraine and France – the history of this relations goes far back to 1049, when the daughter of Yaroslav the Wise Anna became the wife of French King Henri IV.

In the future we plan to continue activities involving art groups, actors, painters, singers from different regions of Ukraine, and concerts of winners of prestigious international competitions. Such events will help present the wide range of artistic achievements and bright creative figures of our culture.”