Uzhhorod

Transcarpathia

Ukraine

June 14, 2018

Hello,

Can you imagine? 

At a Philharmonia concert last night, the local orchestra played two of my favorite pieces: the complete incidental music to Midsummer Night’s Dream Op.61 by Felix Mendelssohn and after a brief intermission Anastasia Dziciak, a young Ukrainian pianist, performed the Piano Concerto in A minor Op.16 by Edvard Grieg.  The price of admission was 50 Hryvnia (gryvna), or about $2.00 US!

The magnificent Philharmonia with its carved Moorish style façade is certainly the most impressive edifice in Uzhhorod.  It lies in Theatric Square.  Built in 1904, Philharmonia began life as the Uzhhorod Synagogue!  Before World War Two, 85,000 Jews lived in the area.