TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona Arts Live welcomes the acclaimed Ukrainian vocal and theater ensemble Kurbasy to La Rosa, Southern Arizona’s new home for adventurous performance, on Thursday, November 13. The concert marks both the final stop of Kurbasy’s 2025 U.S. tour and the culmination of the U.S. Department of State’s Center Stage program, which for over a decade has brought extraordinary international artists to communities across America. 

 

 

Once a Benedictine monastery, La Rosa has been reimagined as a gathering place for creativity and connection, a sanctuary where the past and present meet through art, dialogue, and discovery. 


Blending polyphonic folk traditions, poetic text, and contemporary theatricality, Kurbasy: Songs from the Ukrainian Forest evokes the spirit of their homeland through stories of nature, ritual, and resilience. The ensemble’s mesmerizing harmonies and evocative stage presence have captivated audiences around the world, weaving together ancient songs and modern sensibilities into an unforgettable live experience. 


In addition to their Tucson performance, Kurbasy will participate in a series of community engagement events, including workshops with students, conversations with local Ukrainian and Slavic communities, and public dialogues on the power of cultural storytelling in times of conflict. These activities continue Arizona Arts Live’s mission to foster connection through performance and dialogue. 


“Presenting Kurbasy at La Rosa feels especially meaningful,” said Chad Herzog, Executive + Artistic Director of Arizona Arts Live. “This former Benedictine monastery has long been a place of reflection and sanctuary. Now, as La Rosa, it continues to be a space where cultures can meet safely and art can help us understand one another more deeply. Ending the Center Stage program here, with Kurbasy’s songs of nature, memory, and resilience, reminds us of the beauty that can grow from shared experience.” 


Center Stage, a cultural diplomacy initiative of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, has since 2012 brought more than 60 ensembles from 30 countries to the United States, fostering cross-cultural understanding through live performance and community collaboration. 
Tickets and event details are available at arizonaartslive.com/kurbasy. 


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