(This story is sponsored by Lions Gate Sinfonia.)

Lions Gate Sinfonia is inviting music enthusiasts to attend its yearly side-by-side performance on May 7, starring the Lions Gate Youth Orchestra and cello soloist Joseph Elworthy.

Slavic Splendour embraces the joyful and soulful sounds from Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Russia, and Georgia. The harmonious symphony will take audiences on an inspiring journey throughout Eastern Europe.

The all-Slavic array of fine music will feature special treats by Antonín Dvořák, Frédéric Chopin, George Enescu, and Béla Bartók. The professional orchestra will be complemented by the talented Lions Gate Youth Orchestra, a mentorship program for Vancouver youths with an ear for music. Audiences can expect to enjoy performances of Mazurkas, Marches, Polonaises, Slavonic Dances, and more.

Lions Gate Sinfonia, founded and directed by Clyde Mitchell, has performed dozens of works by Canadian composers and classical masterpieces. But Slavic Splendour explores a whole new collection of music that will emotionally engage audiences.

Within the performance, the orchestra will reveal a newly discovered brilliant “Baroque Symphony” by Maxim Berezovsky, otherwise known as the Ukrainian Mozart. Vancouver’s magnificent cellist Elworthy will play the “Rococo Variations” by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, who loved Mozart and had strong Ukrainian roots.

To end the evening, Lions Gate Sinfonia will perform its instrumental version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, bringing feelings of warmth and joy to audience members. 

A staple of the North Shore for more than two decades, the professional symphony is an integral part of the community. Its must-see performance of Slavic Splendour will start at 7:30 p.m., at the Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver. For tickets, click here.

If you’re unable to attend Slavic Splendour, Lions Gate Sinfonia already has several shows planned for next season:

• The Magic Flute: Big, Small, & All Between! (Featuring Sarah Jackson, piccolo and flute for the Los Angeles Philharmonic) on November 5th, 2022.
• Sinfonia Family Christmas on December 17th, 2022.
• Inspirational Women Composers (for International Women’s Day) on February 18th, 2023.
• Printemps en France! Taking place on April 1st, 2023.
• Pianos Galore and More! Scheduled for May 5^th, 2023.

For more information on upcoming shows, visit www.lionsgatesinfonia.com/.

Subscriptions to the 2022/2023 concert season are available for purchase through Centennial Theatre by phone at 604-984-4484 or by visiting the venue.