“Old Ukrainian Christmas” in Vienna
On 12 December 2025, the magnificent baroque Jesuit Church in Vienna hosted the concert “Old Ukrainian Christmas”, which was met with great success. Now in its third edition, this year’s concert was dedicated to the 250th anniversary of the Collegium Barbarum, becoming a heartfelt musical tribute to this milestone.
The evening, filled with warmth, sincerity, and inspiration, revived ancient Christmas traditions. More than 30 performers presented early and traditional carols as well as sacred songs, creating the atmosphere of a true Christmas mystery. Several pieces were performed publicly for the first time. The programme opened with the authentic sounds of the trembita and the hurdy-gurdy, immediately transporting the audience into Ukrainian and Austrian Christmas musical traditions.
A particularly moving moment followed with carols from the Pochaiv Bohoglasnyk of 1790, performed by Liubov Plavska and Ondřej Dobšík from Prague. Gentle harp melodies by Zsuzsanna Aba-Nagy and the distinctive sound of the bandura, played by Julian Kytasty, added exceptional depth to the programme. The audience was also captivated by soloist Oksana Dopilko, who performed in both German and Ukrainian.
The concert gained further intensity with organ works performed by Florian Reitner. The emotional climax came with the choral section, brilliantly performed by the youth choir of St. Barbara’s Parish and the folklore ensemble Kupava from Brno. During the performance of “O God, Great and Only One”, the atmosphere in the church was deeply moving, bringing many listeners to tears.
Despite the variety of musical forms, the programme unfolded smoothly and harmoniously, creating the impression of a coherent Christmas theatrical mystery. Closing remarks in German were given by Father Oleh Kovtun and the concert’s organiser Bogdan Shutka.
Pictures by Iryna Karpenko
