The Soul of The People

The Soul of The People

Written and directed by Anna Chechotkina
With performers and pianists from Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

The Soul of The People is an original concert production that will take you on a musical journey to the Sorochyntsi Fair. Discover cultural gems from the Ukrainian music treasury all framed by a storyline of love and friendship.
Just imagine it: it’s the biggest fair around, the Sorochyntsi Fair, in the second half of the 19th century. Arriving home after years away, a young man named Vasyl is here to win the heart of his beloved Gandzia... if only her parents would let him. Among village life, music, and the bustle of the fair, passion is kindled, families resist, and heartfelt songs soften hardened hearts, bridging the barrier to love.

Experience the soul of the people passed down for generations through Ukrainian music, including masterpieces from excerpts of Hulak-Artemovsky’s opera A Cossack Beyond the Danube to Cheremshyna by Vasyl Mykhailiuk and to What a Moonlit Night by Fedir Nadenenko, alongside many more.

All songs involved in the production are chosen for their cultural importance and relatability to an international audience. Anybody, regardless of their national background, will find something precious for themselves in the programme.

The music will be sung in Ukrainian with dialogues between songs spoken in English.
English translation of all lyrics will be provided in the programme.

The charity fair before the show, and in the interval, will be raising money for the Veronika Lemishenko Charity Foundation. This important fund provides support for the musically talented children from Kharkiv State Music Lyceum, children who still create and play music just a few miles from the front line.

Running time approx. two hours, with an interval and the fair included.