With Songs of the Ukrainian Forest, the musical collective Kurbasy presents an audio-visual theatrical exploration of a country’s proud peoples and their history through song.

Drawing from a rich trove of lullabies and legends, the artists conjure their views of the natural world, beliefs, and rituals, to trace contemporary connections to a rich cultural past.

Tight vocal harmonies summon visions of Slavic mythic poetry, indigenous ceremonies, and seasonal celebrations. An ensemble of four instrumentalists (bass, violin, cello, and an assortment of folk instruments from Ukraine and around the world) provide dramatic accompaniment, all framed by stunning projections.

Songs of the Ukrainian Forest was developed by Kurbasy’s artistic directors Mariia Oneshchak and Nataliia Rybka-Parkhomenko in 2020, when the two brought their families together in a house outside Lviv during the COVID’s quarantine. In wartime Ukraine, this song cycle has become a powerful representation of Ukraine’s centuries-old cultural touchstones and contemporary identity.

Tickets available at:
https://cpa.psu.edu/events/kurbasy