Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra

Music as a response to war, violence, and oppression: this idea inspired Peter Gelb and Waldemar Dąbrowski, General Managers of the Metropolitan Opera in New York and of Polish National Opera in Warsaw, respectively, to join forces with conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson in founding the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The orchestra comprises musicians who either come from Ukraine or who are currently performing with Ukrainian ensembles. Its members hold full-time positions with Kyiv National Opera, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra, the Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra, and Kharkiv Opera; other members are affiliated with the Tonkünstler Orchestra in Lower Austria, the Belgian National Orchestra, or the ­Staatskapelle Berlin. In its very first summer, the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra embarked on a tour of 13 cities across Europe and the United States. In 2025, the ensemble is performing at eight different venues, including at Lucerne Festival as well as in Warsaw, Wrocław, Vilnius, Jūrmala, Bucharest, Amsterdam, and London. The project is supported by the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture and Information Policy with Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska serving as its patron She has described the orchestra as “the musical voice of Ukraine.” “This is our fourth tour since the start of Russia’s brutal invasion,” says Keri-Lynn Wilson. “We are traveling to stand up for Ukraine’s right to be free.” For Wilson, the orchestra has become a symbol of resistance.

One previous Lucerne Festival appearance: on 27 August 2023, when the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra performed a program of works by Verdi, Stankovych, and Beethoven, which was conducted by ­Keri-Lynn Wilson.

July 2025