On 19 April 2024, the opera house will host a special song recital focusing on the work of Ukrainian composer Mykola Lysenko. Lysenko, who is considered the founder of the Ukrainian school of composers, studied at the Conservatory of Music in Leipzig from 1867 to 1869 under teachers such as Ignatz Moscheles, Carl Reinecke, Ferdinand David and Franz Brendel. The programme features haunting, lyrical and sonorously powerful music performed by Ukrainian-born soprano Olena Tokar from the Leipzig Opera solo ensemble. The programme features songs and duets by Lysenko and his contemporaries Albert Krywolt, Boris Mikolayovic Lyatoshinsky and Kyrylo Stetsenko. In addition to Olena Tokar, Kathrin Göring, Alvaro Zambrano and Peter Dolinšek, also members of the Leipzig Opera ensemble, will also sing at the recital entitled "Ukrainian Encounters". Ugo D'Orazio and Kathryn Bolitho will accompany them on the piano.