Patricia George Decio Theatre

Seven Chicago-area members of <b><b>The Women's Bandura Ensemble of North America</b></b> will perform under the direction of conductor Oksana Rodak. The WBE is composed of 20 women from seven cities in North America, including Toronto, New York, and Chicago, working not only to preserve the bandura tradition, but to update it, exploring the instrument's rich artistic possibilities from the Baroque, to contemporary, to ancient melodies.<br><br>As part of the conference "Revolutions of Hope: Resilience and Recovery in Ukraine" (March 6-8, 2025), the Nanovic Institute for European Studies has invited poets Halyna Kruk and Natalka Bilotserkivets, with Ali Kinsella, as well as the Women's Bandura Ensemble of North America (Chicago Regional Members) for an amazing night of Ukrainian poetry and music. This night will include poetry readings and performances to provide a platform for and window into Ukrainian artistic culture.<br><br><b><b>Halyna Kruk</b></b>, from Lviv, Ukraine, is a distinguished poet, writer, translator, and scholar. She earned her Ph.D. in Ukrainian literature from the University of Lviv in 2001, where she now serves as a professor, focusing on medieval Ukrainian literature. Kruk has authored five poetry collections, including <em>Journeys in Search of Home</em> (1997) and <em>An Adult Woman</em> (2017), as well as four children's books translated into 15 languages. Her 2022 poetry collection, <em>A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails</em>, was shortlisted for the Griffin Poetry Prize. She has served as vice-president of PEN Ukraine and has translated works from Polish into Ukrainian.<br><br><b><b>Natalka Bilotserkivets</b></b> is a renowned poet and translator. She graduated from Kyiv University with a degree in Ukrainian literature. Her debut collection, <em>Ballad about the Invincibles</em>, was published in 1976. Subsequent works, including <em>The Underground Fire</em> (1984) and <em>November</em> (1989), solidified her place in Ukrainian literature. Her poem "We'll Not Die in Paris" became emblematic for Ukraine's post-Chornobyl generation. The collection <em>Eccentric Days of Hope and Sorrow</em> (2021) was shortlisted for the 2022 Griffin Poetry Prize. Bilotserkivets's poetry is celebrated for its lyricism and profound emotional depth.<br><br><b><b>Ali Kinsella</b></b> is a poet and translator specializing in Ukrainian literature since 2012. Her diverse portfolio includes essays, poetry, monographs, and film subtitles. She co-translated Natalka Bilotserkivets's <em>Eccentric Days of Hope and Sorrow</em>, shortlisted for the 2022 Griffin Poetry Prize. Kinsella holds an M.A. in Slavic Studies from Columbia University, focusing on Eastern European history and literature. A former Peace Corps volunteer, she lived in Ukraine for nearly five years and now resides in Chicago, where she occasionally works as a baker. In 2024, she was awarded an NEA Translation Fellowship to translate Halyna Kruk's poetry collection <em>Lost in Living</em>.<br><br><b><b>The Indiana Slavic Choir</b></b>, founded at Indiana University Bloomington in 2021, seeks to learn, showcase, and celebrate the diverse East and South European folk singing traditions. The ensemble will be led by founder and artistic director Iryna Voloshyna, a Ph.D. candidate in the IU Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology. Originally from Ukraine, Iryna is well-versed in the Ukrainian polyphonic singing tradition, but together with the group she is exploring folk singing of other cultures of the region.<br><br><hr /><br>This is a free but ticketed event. To guarantee your seat, please pick up your tickets at least 15 minutes prior to the show, at which point your unclaimed tickets may be used to seat patrons waiting on standby. Tickets will be available for pick-up at the Ticket Office beginning one hour prior to the performance.<br><br><br>Co-sponsored by the Department of German, Slavic, and Eurasian Studies, the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, the Notre Dame Democracy Initiative, Notre Dame Global, the Office of the President, University of Notre Dame, the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art, and the Ukrainian Catholic University.<br><br><a href="https://performingarts.nd.edu/event/17998/a-night-of-ukrainian-poetry-and-music/">https://performingarts.nd.edu/event/17998/a-night-of-ukrainian-poetry-and-music/</a>