NP-UN Western Bureau.
Well-known Edmonton-born author, Andriy J. Semotiuk, has announced the upcoming launch of his latest book, “Solomea: Star of Opera’s Golden Age.” The book launch event will occur at the Alberta Council for the Ukrainian Arts (ACUA) on Saturday, October 21st, at 3 PM 2023. The author is related to the opera legend in that his grandmother was Solomea’s sister.
“Solomea” has gained recognition as a literary gem and won a Peterson Literary Fund award. The author returns to his hometown of Edmonton to recount his journey to reconnect with the opera legend through his family ties and his research into her life over the course of the next several decades.
“Solomea” was one of the world’s greatest opera stars, particularly in the early 20th century. Born in Ukraine under Austro-Hungarian rule, she studied opera and then rose to fame in Italy. She sang in opera theatres throughout Europe, North Africa, Tsarist Russia, and North and South America, including performances in Canada in Montreal and Winnipeg in 1928. During her stellar career, she performed with opera legends like tenor Enrico Caruso, composer Giacomo Puccini, and conductor Arturo Toscanini. After an accomplished life, she was trapped behind the Iron Curtain during a visit to Western Ukraine as World War II broke out. She died in the Soviet Union in 1952 and was largely forgotten in the Western World until now with the appearance of this authoritative biography.
Event Details: Saturday, October 21st, 2023, at 3 PM, Alberta Council for the Ukrainian Arts (ACUA), Address: 10554 110 Street NW Unit 100, E Edmonton, AB, Canada, T5H 3C5.
Event Highlights
• Book Signing: Andriy J. Semotiuk will be available to sign copies of “Solomea” and personally connect with readers.
• Opera performance: It is planned to have an opera singer perform two songs for the audience as part of the event.
• Reading and Discussion: Andriy J. Semotiuk will read excerpts from the book, offering insights into the creative process and the inspiration behind the stories.
• Q&A Session: Attendees will have the opportunity to ask Andriy J. Semotiuk questions about the book, his writing journey, and Edmonton’s literary
significance.
Andriy J. Semotiuk is a practicing immigration lawyer and a member of the New York and California bars in the United States, and Ontario and B.C. in Canada. He is a former United Nations Correspondent and currently writes for Forbes where over one million readers have read his articles. He has written three other books.
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