NEW YORK – Artistic director Virlana Tkacz concluded a month long celebration of Koliada with three sold out performance of her production “Winter Light: Songs, Music and Rituals from the Carpathians” at the LaMaMa ETC in New York City on December 27-28, 2014. The piece is based around the traditional Vertep of the 18th century. Under the musical direction of Julian Kytasty, it featured the Koliadnyky from Kryvorivnia, the Korinya traditional music group, and a host of regular Yara Arts Group performers.
Act 1, “The Dark and The Creation,” opened with Marina Celander, as the “Refugee,” entering the empty stage, carrying a suitcase. In her monologue, written by Serhiy Zhadan, she answered unheard questions, her voice reflecting the nervousness and anxiety of any refugees anywhere: “Documents? Yes, sure…” The contents of her suitcase are examined, the dishes, the photos, the letters, and, left behind.
Alone on the darkened stage, she jingles her keys, hoping that someone will hear her. Teryn Kuzma as “Angel” and Alina Kuzma as “Time” emerged from that darkness, singing “Poduy zhe Hospody,” taken from the Bernatskiy Book of Carols from 1693. Accompanied by Julian Kytasty on bandura and Asa Horvitz on percussion, their finely matched voices exquisitely transported the “Refugee” and all present back to the time of creation of the world.
The “Vertep,” as Act 2, began with Mykola Ilyuk calling everyone to “Arise from your sleep, and do good deeds!” Robust blasts of their trembity announced that the Koliadnyky had arrived. Led by Ivan Zelenchuk, Mykola Zelenchuk, Mykola Ilyuk, Vasyl Tymchuk and Ostap Kostyuk entered, singing the “Plies.”
Their koliada “Tsy Doma, Doma, Tsey Pan Hospodar,” praising the master of the house, was a stark contrast to the “Migrant Worker” monologue, written by Mr. Zhadan, which followed. Sean Eden eloquently expressed the thoughts and feelings of the builder erecting overly grand structures for the oligarchy. He ended by describing the shelling of a resort that he had built. Projected behind him, a video showed Krasnyi Lyman burning, as the chorus rushed the stage, ringing bells and re-enacting the chaos that took place in Ukraine in the past year.
As the cacophony of bells diminished, it resembled distant church bells tolling. The sound of the chorus was brought forth, singing the 18th century choral music wonderfully arranged by Mr. Kytasty. Accompanying his bandura playing, the chorus of Paul Brantley on cello, Asa Horvitz on percussion, Roxolyana Shepko on violin, Stefan Shepko on sopilka, and singers Maria Pleshkevich, Julia Dobner-Pereira, Zoya Shepko and Maksym Lozynskyj demonstrated the divine delicacy of those works.
The “Vertep” by itself is a play, first documented in 1774. It presents the story of the shepherds and the birth of the Christ Child, the Three Wise Men visiting Herod, telling him of the birth of a new King, Herod ordering his soldiers to put to death innocent children to secure his own rule, Rachel and the death of her child, and Herod getting his ultimate reward – eternal damnation.
Mr. Kostyuk portrayed “Herod” as a calculating despot, with the coldness common to all dictators. Within, his “Herod” was a weak and petty person, insecure and unsure, who created malevolence in an attempt to shield himself. Asked about the birth of the new King, the words of Ms. Dobner-Pereira, the “Ruvida” (Soothsayer) were respectful towards Herod, yet their sound expressed her disdain. Masha Pruss was brilliantly passionless as Death. Despite what a great catch Herod may have been, to her Herod was just another one, and she quickly dispatched any ideas that Herod may have had about his own charms or greatness. Nariman Asanov, as her brother from Hell, was even more so, greeting the now cowering Herod with a fittingly less than enthusiastic “Oh-ho-ho, what have we here.” He then proceeded to spear Herod with his violin bow, much like one would a piece of meat on a shish kabob skewer. The flurry of his violin playing sealed Herod’s fate forever.
The third act was the lighthearted and spirited “Celebration,” much needed to relieve the drama just witnessed. Mr. Brantley began with his elaborate cello piece “Arbor.” Next was “Turna,” a Crimean song sung by Marina Celander with Mr. Asanov on violin and Zoya Shepko on accordion. The Koliadnyky troista musicians entered, playing a slow tempo “Wedding Song” that suddenly burst into a frenzied “Arkan” dance. Mr. Kytasty accompanied them on bandura.
Next, Ms. Horvitz sang “Wrestling Jacob / Vernon” accompanied by Mr. Ilyuk on violin. The Korinya group performed “Malanka.” The response from the Koliadnyky was a fast-stepping “Triasulka.” Mr. Asanov came out and with the Koliadnyky played the Crimean Tatar instrumental “Kalabalyk.” “Ishly Molodsti” featured Mr. Kytasty on bandura and vocals, with Mr. Asanov and the Koliadnyky providing the backing vocals and music. This was followed by a lively version of “Verkhovyno” by Mr. Asanov, the Koliadnyky and Korinya. The Koliadnyky countered with even faster “Hutsulka,” Mr. Kostyuk on sopilka adding a lively lilt to the melody. “Oi, Dai Bozhe” and “Rano, O Rano” by Ms. Celander, Ms. Dobner-Pereira and Ms. Pleshkevich, their voices resplendent on this duo of traditional women’s songs sung in the village style. The ensemble all came out to sing “Teche Richka,” and a delicate tsymbala melody and the thunder of the trembity signaled the end of the performance. The evening ended with the audience joining the performers in a rousing version of “Nova Radist Stala” followed by long and appreciative rounds of applause.
As with most productions by Virlana Tkacz, the sets by Watoku Ueno were minimal, allowing the audience’s imagination to create their own scenery and backgrounds to go along with the action. The stage floor, painted white, looked like a field of freshly fallen snow; indeed, one expected the performers to kick up snow as they walked across it. That and the upstage screen were used to great effect by Volodymyr Klyuzko to project his photographs, videos and collages depicting on Hutsul embroideries, woodcarvings and scenes.
The year 2015 marks the 25th anniversary of the Yara Arts Group and its artistic director Virlana Tkacz. The year-long celebration began on January 24 with an exhibit at The Ukrainian Museum in New York City. Other events are planned throughout the year and can be followed via the Yara Arts Group web site at brama.com/yara/.