It's not Disney on Ice, but this multimedia concert featuring songs from Studio Ghibli animated classics – including the eponymous Laputa: Castle in the Sky, as well as Kiki's Delivery Service, My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke and the Oscar-winning Spirited Away (all created with the immense talents of composer Joe Hisaishi and director Hayao Miyazaki) – has a charm and appeal that fans of the Japanese animation studio won't want to miss.

 

 

Performance: National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine

Formed by the Council of Ministers of Ukraine in November of 1918, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine is considered to be one of the finest symphony orchestras in Eastern Europe. Its first conductor was Oleksander Horilyj. The NSOU was entrusted with the premiere performances of the works of the following composers: Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitri Shostakovich, Aram Khatchaturian, Boris Lyatoshynsky, Valentyn Silvestrov, Myroslav Skoryk, and Evgen Stankovych.

 

The Orchestra has gained international recognition over a remarkably short period of time. After an appearance in Moscow, Dmitri Shostakovich commented:" This orchestra has as distinguished a group of performers as one would be likely to find anywhere. The ensemble of the orchestra is of the highest level. In addition, the various soloists and instrumental groups within the Orchestra play exceptionally and complement each other beautifully – as would the greatest of the world’s symphony orchestras".

Since 1993, the NSOU has released more than 100 sound recordings which include both Ukrainian and international repertoires. Most of these recordings have received the highest international acclaim. In 1994, the Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC) rated NSOU’s recording of Boris Lyatoshynsky’s Symphonies No. 2 and No. 3 as "The Best Recording of the Year". The CD of Silvestrov's "Requiem for Larissa" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2005.

 

 

Conductor: Nicola Giuliani (Italy)

Nicola Giuliani is an acclaimed conductor. He conducted, and continues to work with several orchestras in Italy, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Spain, Holland, Denmark, Rumania, Bulgaria, Poland, ex-USSR, Czech Republic, Slovak, USA, China, Mexico and Venezuela and made important appearances at venues, including the Leipzig Gewandhaus, the Herkules-Saal in Munich, the Frankfurt Jahrhunderthalle, the Hamburg Musikhalle, the Moscow Dom Music, the NCPA in Beijing, the Sala Verdi at the Milan Conservatorio of Music.