Ukrainian pianist Dr. Irena Portenko and Georgian baritone Gocha Abuladze will perform at the event “From Georgia with Love: Benefit Concert for Ukrainian Women and Children”, an evening of songs and solidarity featuring music Georgian, Ukrainian, Polish and Italian. The concert will benefit displaced and abused women and children in Ukraine.
The event will take place at Carnegie Hall’s famed Weill Recital Hall on Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets ($90-$110) are available now at: https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2022 / 05/18/Gocha-Abuladze-Baritone-Irena-Portenko-Piano-0800PM.
The program will feature Portenko and Abuladze performing opera music, solo piano repertoire and all-time favorites. It will conclude with special appearances from countertenor Jeffrey Palmer, tenor Ushangi Abuladze and bassist Stefan Szkafarowsky, representing the full spectrum of male voices as they perform “Prayer for Ukraine” and “Amazing Grace.” The event is presented by Portenko’s Music in the Alps, an international music festival held in Austria’s Gastein Valley, which promotes cross-cultural dialogue and innovation in the performance of classical music.
A performer and event organizer, Portenko, named in a “inner circle” of pianists by The New York Times, is a sought-after concert pianist, music teacher and arts administrator. Portenko is an avid chamber musician and has performed with a wide range of musicians at festivals and recitals around the world.
Says Portenko, “I constantly put myself in the shoes of all the people who have recently fled Ukraine. I can only imagine this to a certain extent, thanks to communication with my family, friends and colleagues. With our music and with your support help us the NGO Save a Child, which ensures that families with children, pregnant women and orphans can find temporary accommodation, support in the form of shelter and consultations with psychologists and lawyers until they are settled to continue their lives.”
Famous Georgian singer Abuladze says: “I remember the 2008 war in Georgia. I feel like I’m reliving that, while watching so many people suffer. These days I can’t stand still and I have to do something to make an impact in thea??a?? the lives of Ukrainian women and children. I would like to sing and, with my music, make a difference in their current existence.”
Supporters who are unable to attend the “From Georgia with Love: Benefit Concert for Ukrainian Women and Children” event are invited to contribute through GoFundMe. The event is generously supported by Marani Cafe & Bakery, a Georgian restaurant in Brooklyn.