The Earth Cried Out to the Sky

mezzo-soprano/contra alto and chamber orchestra
2022/5

Duration 11’
Instrumentation mezzo-soprano, orchestra: 2(II=picc).2(II=Ca).2(II=bcl).2(II=Contra) – 2.2.0.0 – strings (8.6.4.4.2)
First Performance 27 January 2026, 8pm, Bâtiment des Forces Motrices, Place des Volontaires 2, 1204 Genève, Switzerland; Christina Daletska mezzo-soprano, Geneva Chamber orchestra, Holly Choe conducting more info
Commissioned (arr.) by the Chamber Orchestra of Geneva

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On February 24th, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the largest attack by a state against another in Europe since World War II. This violent Russian aggression against a peaceful nation caused global shockwaves, particularly in Europe. At that time, I was in the early stages of composing a song cycle and was drawn to Ukrainian poetry. I discovered a remarkable collection titled “Words for War: New Poems from Ukraine,” which was written since the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. As quoted from the Academic Studies Press, “Directly and indirectly, the poems collected in this volume engage with the events and experiences of war, reflecting on the themes of alienation, loss, dislocation, and disability; as well as justice, heroism, courage, resilience, generosity, and forgiveness. … The anthology brings together some of the most compelling poetic voices from different regions of Ukraine.”

I selected two poignant, powerful poems to set: “Latifa” by Ostap Slyvynsky and “An Old Mulberry Tree Near Mariupol” by Borys Humenyuk. Notably, Humenyuk has been presumed missing since December 2022, when he disappeared on the battlefield.