At the Philharmonic, Nevsky is Out, Mozart is In

 The Erie Philharmonic is replacing its May 13 performance of Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky with Mozart's Requiem. The change was inspired by Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, according to the orchestra's post on social media.

Alexander Nevsky is the soundtrack to the Sergei Eisenstein film about a Russian victory over an attempted invasion by the Holy Roman Empire in the late 13th century. Released in 1938, the movie was Soviet propaganda against Nazi Germany, and now, nearly a year into Russia's war against Ukraine, "the current Russian administration is using it for propaganda purposes," said music director Daniel Meyer.

"We appreciate that music can have a powerful ability to unite communities, and we have chosen instead to perform Mozart's Requiem to celebrate the spirit of the Ukrainian people and commemorate those who have lost their lives in the pursuit of peace," Meyer said.

The Philharmonic said it will dedicate 10 percent of ticket sales to the Erie United for Ukraine Fund at the Erie Community Foundation. Tickets may be purchased online.