Russian A Cappella Group Lyra Performs In Waterbury

WATERBURY — The Russian a cappella group Lyra will perform at St John’s Episcopal Church on September 6, at 7 pm. The group, whose members work as choir conductors, opera singers, instrumentalists, and music teachers throughout St Petersburg, will perform sacred music of the Russian Orthodox Church and Russian folk songs. Its repertoire includes pieces by composers Dmitry Stepanovich Bortnjansky, Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Pavel Tchesnokov, Alexander Tikhonovitch Gretchaninov, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Igor Stravinsky, and others.

While Lyra performs in Russian, emcee Sergey Tupitsyn introduces each piece in English.

In 2005, Lyra appeared at the Woodbury United Methodist Church and in 2006 at St John’s.

Established in 1994, Lyra groups have toured Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Great Britain, Sweden, and several parts of the United States, introducing more than 25,000 people to the enormous musical heritage of the Russian Orthodox Church and Russian history and culture.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and children under 15. Tickets will be available at the door; to reserve tickets in advance, send a check payable to St John’s Parish, 16 Church Street, Waterbury CT 06708 or call 203-754-3116.