Odessa Orchestra

The history of the orchestra of the Odessa Opera House has its origins from the founding of the First City Theatre on February 10, 1810. From the first years of existence, the orchestra was made up of hired musicians from all parts of Europe. The orchestra’s opera repertoire included productions by Gioachino Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, Domenico Cimarosa, Gaëtano Donizetti, Giusepp Verdi and others.

In 1894, the new and original building of the theatre, designed by Austrian architects Fellner and Helmer, Josip Prybik became chief conductor of the Odessa Opera House upon the recommendation of Tchaikovsky. He was Musical Director of the Odessa Opera for forty years. At the conductor’s stand of the Odessa Opera House in different years played distinguished musicians of the late XIX – early XX centuries – P. Tchaikovsky, M. Rimsky-Korsakov, A. Rubinstein, P. Mascagni and many others.

Today the orchestra is formed by over 100 members of the orchestra elite (some of them are musicians awarded with the title of Honored Artist of Ukraine), many of them are also winners of international competitions.
For years of active creative life the orchestra of the Odessa Opera has become the leading opera orchestra of Ukraine. The orchestra’s vast repertoire (over 80 performances and concert programs) includes masterpieces of native and foreign musical treasures from the baroque period to the present day. International recognition of the skills of the orchestra of the Odessa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre were requests for tours all over Europe. The Odessa Orchestra has been part of the international concert show “The World of Hans Zimmer” since 2018.

Frank Embacher
Foto: @[100890010083913:Frank Embacher Photographie]
Frank Embacher
Lisa Gerrard
Gavin Greenaway