BREAKING NEWS
Kyiv says Russia plans fresh offensive as Moscow shells multiple targets across UkraineUkrainian strike likely severs rail link between Crimea and KhersonPlast scout runs daily half-marathon throughout July to raise money for military droneRussian casualties in Ukraine invasion top 75,000, U.S. says, as Kyiv escalates counteroffensiveKyiv implements aspects of language law, making Ukrainian mandatory on websitesCelebrity chef Rachael Ray, UCCA join forces to feed displaced Ukrainians, save troops’ livesUkraine’s first lady appeals for more weapons in address to members of CongressUkraine strikes key bridge in Russia-occupied territorySoyuzivka hosts annual Ukrainian Cultural Festival, raises funds for wounded soldiers in UkraineTasked with staying in his country, one Ukrainian father has yet to meet his recently-born child
Subscribe

The Ukrainian Weekly depends on your support. A financial donation in any amount will help us pay for ongoing coverage of the war in Ukraine.

Donate
News Categories
Subscribe Login

UNWLA hosts an evening with Virlana Tkacz on Yara’s Three Forest Songs

By and 2 Mins Read
Courtesy of UNWLA, Branch 113
Members of the Yara Arts ensemble under the direction of Virlana Tkacz are seen during performances of three new interpretations of “The Forest Song” by Lesia Ukrainka.

NEW YORK – The Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, Branch 113 located in New York City, hosted a virtual meeting with Virlana Tkacz, founding director of the Yara Arts Group at the La MaMa Experimental Theater. The event, part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Lesia Ukrainka’s birthday, was dedicated to three new interpretations of “The Forest Song” by the Yara Arts ensemble under the direction of Ms. Tkacz.

Orysia Stryzak, president of Branch 113, introduced Ms. Tkacz and related how Lesia Ukrainka’s text was rendered into “Yara’s Forest Song.”

In 1993, Ms. Tkacz, together with Wanda Phipps, translated “The Forest Song” from Ukrainian into English and received the National Theater Translation Fund Award of the Year.

Using the translation, Ms. Tkacz created several theater pieces based on this drama. First presented were the creative workshops at La MaMa and at Bucknell Univer­sity. Then, a bilingual play “Yara’s Forest Song” was staged at the Les Kurbas Theater in Lviv, and at La MaMa in New York (1994).

Almost 20 years later, Ms. Tkacz created an immersive version of “The Forest Song” called “Fire Water Night.” These unique interpretations by the Yara Arts Group were very successful and well received by theater critics.

Ms. Tkacz illustrated her presentation with many photos, interesting videos and music from live performances.

Responding to questions, Ms. Tkacz confirmed that the audience reaction, both in Lviv and New York, was very positive. She mentioned that she is fascinated by works of classical Ukrainian literature, for example those of Lesia Ukrainka because “the text is timeless and can have many interpretations,” Ms. Tkacz said.

For example, her protagonist Mavka and the other fairy creatures appear in the cold, sterile landscape of New York City skyscrapers, instead of the lush, green forests of Volyn, Ukraine.

Branch 113 and the audience who gathered on May 13 enjoyed meeting Ms. Tkacz. They were reminded of the beauty of Lesia Ukrainka’s original work, “The Forest Song,” and its relevance to eternal themes: the mystery of love, and tragedy of betrayal of oneself and the consequences of modern alienation from nature.

Share.

Related Posts

Comments are closed.