Song for All Ages

The National Taras Shevchenko Opera and Ballet Theater hosted the traditional song Autumnal Gold Festival commemorating the eightieth anniversary of the birth of Dmytro Lutsenko, Meritorious Artist of Ukraine, Shevchenko Prize winner, World War II veteran, and poet. There was no presidium; no one delivered long pompous speeches with the customary assurances of eternal love and profound affection. Instead, people stepped on the stage to share memories and address warm words and songs. Beautiful melodies and lyrics believed by many to be folk songs (“My Kyiv,” “Mother’s Cherry,” “My White Village Home...”). Dmytro Lutsenko has written over eleven collections of verse (every book now a rarity).

That evening the poet’s songs were performed by the Cherkasy folk Choir, Anatoly Mokrenko, Favor Quartet, Khreshchatyk Municipal Choir, and Veriovka National Choir, yet his compositions sounded especially charming rendered by the folk choir of the National Culture and Arts University.

Also, there is the Lutsenko Prize and its first recipients were Rayisa Kyrychenko, symbol of Ukrainian song, and composer Anatoly Pashkevych.