Ukrainian Opera Diva Krushelnytska Honoured at the Italian Puccini Festival with Exhibition Showcasing
The renowned Ukrainian opera singer, Solomiya Krushelnytska, is being celebrated at one of Europe's largest opera festivals, the Puccini Festival in Italy, with an exhibition titled 'Grand Tour: Solomiya. Ukraine-Italy,' as reported by the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine.
This unique modular exhibition enlightens the international guests of the 69th Puccini Festival about the life and artistic journey of the world-famous opera diva, Solomiya Krushelnytska (1872-1952).
In Italy, Krushelnytska enjoyed over three decades of fruitful and prosperous life. Her dramatic soprano voice garnered applause and encores in the country's finest theatres. She became the creative muse of Giacomo Puccini and, in 1904, saved the second premiere of 'Madama Butterfly' in Brescia. Their star-studded collaboration became a milestone in the world of opera at the beginning of the 20th century. Moreover, her prolific collaborations with other renowned musical figures highlighted the great authority of the Ukrainian singer in the country.
"Beyond her immense talent, attractiveness, and incredibly beautiful voice, Solomiya Krushelnytska remains an example of determination, patriotism, and intelligence for us. I hope that visitors will learn more about the singer herself and the unique bond that we have between Ukraine and Italy," stated Mykhailo Kobryn, the director of the Solomiya Krushelnytska Musical Memorial Museum in Lviv, as reported by Ukrinform.
The exhibition's extraordinary artistic and engineering design was realized by media artist Sergiy Petlyuk, while the concept was brought to life by Yevhen Chervoniy. The modular exposition consists of a multilayered structure combined with photographic and textual materials in a stylish combination of colours. To enhance the photographic portraits of the singer, artist Petlyuk used artificial intelligence technology. Another highlight of the exhibition is the opportunity to listen to the unique voice of the Ukrainian soprano through headphones. Archival recordings of arias from Puccini's 'Madama Butterfly' and Wagner's 'Die Walküre,' performed by Krushelnytska over a century ago, are presented here.
The project's authors are the team of the Solomiya Krushelnytska Musical Memorial Museum in Lviv, with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation. The project designer, Sergiy Petlyuk, has had personal exhibitions in Ukraine, France, Denmark, Poland, the USA, and India.
The 'Grand Tour: Solomiya. Ukraine-Italy' exhibition will be open throughout the month until the conclusion of the Puccini Festival on August 26th.
The Puccini Festival, established over 90 years ago, is dedicated solely to the works of composer Giacomo Puccini. During the month-long event in the open-air amphitheatre with over 3,000 seats, numerous spectators can enjoy live performances by opera stars, interpreting the masterpieces of the Italian maestro under the baton of distinguished conductors.