The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra announced its fifth international tour, which will begin in Warsaw on August 16 and conclude in New York on August 26.
The orchestra will once again be assembled under the leadership of its founder and music director, Canadian-Ukrainian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson. For the concert at David Geffen Hall of Lincoln Center in New York, it will also be joined by Lise Davidsen, the leading soprano of her generation.
The tour will cover six European countries and the United States, with return performances at Lincoln Center in New York, St Paul’s Cathedral in London, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the National Concert Hall in Dublin, and Teatr Wielki in Warsaw.
“Five years of this terrible war have not broken, and will not break, the spirit of Ukraine. The Invincible 2026 tour program speaks to this courage and to this historic moment. I am proud to once again lead these extraordinary musicians — warrior musicians — on a tour across Europe and the United States, to bear witness to Ukraine’s resilience and to a culture that cannot be silenced. We play for those who are fighting, for those we have lost, for a better future, and for all who believe that freedom will prevail. Glory to Ukraine!”
said the orchestra’s founder and conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson.
The program of the tour is focused on two monumental works of the symphonic and choral repertoire: Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony and Verdi’s “Requiem.” The performance will also feature outstanding soloists: soprano Ailyn Pérez, mezzo-soprano Natalie Lewis, tenor René Barbera, and bass Soloman Howard.
Alongside these masterpieces, the “Four Last Songs” by Richard Strauss will be performed at David Geffen Hall in New York, interpreted by Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen. German soprano Julia Kleiter will perform Mahler’s “Songs on Poems by Rückert,” and the suite “Mothers of Kherson” by Ukrainian composer Maksym Kolomiiets will also be presented again. Its premiere took place with the orchestra’s performance in 2025, on the eve of a full opera production.
The “Invincible” 2026 tour will take place under the patronage of the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, and with the support of the Government of Ireland as part of the country’s cultural programme during its presidency of the Council of the EU in 2026. The tour is organized by Teatr Wielki – Polish National Opera in cooperation with Askonas Holt.
The Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra was founded in 2022 by Canadian-Ukrainian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion. It brings together musicians from Ukraine, Ukrainian refugees, and artists from leading European orchestras as a symbol of cultural solidarity.
