And I always try to find a rendition of my own, to be communicative.”

Speaking in a break between rehearsals, Eitan, in his characteristic frenetic tempo, says he almost never rests, playing throughout the country and around the world.

“I appear abroad a lot as a cultural ambassador of Israel, like the Philharmonic Orchestra or the Batsheva Dance Ensemble; but, unlike them, I appeal not only to a sophisticated high-brow audience but to a simpler public, both young and old. Just recently, I performed in India, Berlin, the US, Hong Kong and Turkey, where people were buying my disks like hot cakes. These are all Foreign Ministry-supported tours,” he says.

But Eitan also plays throughout Israel, performing for everyone, be it adults or children, in Beit She’an, Tel Aviv or beyond the Green Line.

“I can play in a kindergarten in the morning, perform solo with an orchestra, and then continue to a nightclub,” he says.

And one has to admit hat Eitan’s concerts are a musical hurricane, which pulls you in and never lets you go.

“I address my music to a wide audience, both old and young. A man in his 60s can listen to it in his car and enjoy it, just as a kid enjoys it. But it has to be quality music. I rehearse 10 hours a day, and I’m constantly learning from everybody and everything.”
 
Marimba is usually associated with traditional music, but that is not exactly true. Coming from a classical background, Eitan studied at music academies in Israel, Denmark and the US. He recalls that in his early years he was a lonely child. “I would walk around with my CD player, with Mahler, Schubert, Brahms, Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Bartok being my only childhood friends.”

In many ways, this has defined and widened his repertoire.

“Since there was not enough quality music for the marimba, I went to the classical pieces, and I perform arrangements on my instrument. The marimba is a universal instrument. It allows you to unleash your energy, but it can sing like a cello or a violin.

I recently performed Khachaturian’s violin concerto, and I played those of Bartok and Prokofiev in the past, not to mention Bach’s partitas. And I play a fragment from his chaconne in my children’s concerts.”

He goes on to explain that the different method of sound production on violin and marimba simply does not matter. “That’s just a technical aspect. You either play well or badly, that’s it.”

Israeli composers, such as Tzach Drori, Yoseph Bardanashvili, Ronen Shapira and Gil Shohat, do not hesitate to write music for him. “They know they will receive the best performance possible,” says Eitan, who recently performed a new concerto by Drori with two different orchestras in Germany. “And maybe one day in Israel, too,” he sighs.

“Working with Drori, we created a trance piece, built on classical principles. There is a theme that develops, and so on.”

Eitan’s children’s programs are not something he has created once and forever and now plays like an old LP, which repeats the same musical phrase – far from it. Among his newest additions is music from various countries and peoples, as well as pop music from the 1970s.

At the end of the concert, Eitan invites the children and their parents to join him. While he leads on marimba, they accompany him on everything that can make a sound, from cow bells to dried hedgehog’s jawbones.

A fantastic experience not to be missed.

Ziv Eitan performs at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and August 25 at 5:30 p.m.. For reservations: (03) 607-7020.

August 4, 2011 Thursday 4 Av 5771 11:25 IST   

Photo by: Courtesy

By MAXIM REIDER
05/08/2011

Vengerov will be accompanied by an ad-hoc orchestra, composed of the Israeli orchestra players, led by Evgeny Tzirlin.

Three years ago Vengerov, one of the leading violinists of the younger generation, announced that he was temporarily quitting his busy solo career and switching to conducting. But he has recently returned to violin playing, combining both activities, and earlier this year he performed Brahms’s sonatas in Israel with his first conducting teacher, Vaag Papian.

“For me, these three ‘sabbatical’ years have been extremely productive,” he elaborates.

“During my entire life I’ve been learning a lot, and not only about violin playing. For example, there was a period when I discovered the Baroque violin.”

At the time he had said in an interview, “Its voice is so beautiful, I cannot imagine my life without it.”

“Yes,” recalls Vengerov. “I was teaching music and occasionally conducting. But I soon I realized that conducting was not something one can do like a hobby; it demands your total dedication. Whatever I do, I want to learn from the inside, and that was the reason for the temporary halt in my solo career. I entered the class of maestro Yuri Simonov from the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. He belongs to the Russian-German school of conducting and traces his musical roots back to Gustav Mahler,” he says.

“Now that I’ve conducted quite a few symphonic pieces, I feel it’s time to return to the violin, enjoy my two musical professions and be able to express myself through both. For example, I have pieces like Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade in my repertoire, where I perform all the violin solo parts. By the way, there was only one musician who did it in the past, Eugene Isai, who was not only a virtuoso violinist but also a very good conductor.”

Vengerov is about to start a concert tour with Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, “which is rather a chamber orchestra, that of the Beethoven kind. I will play and conduct Beethoven’s Violin Concerto, and in the second part of the concert I will conduct his Eroica symphony, which more or less represents the typical framework of my concerts nowadays – a violin piece followed by a symphonic one.”
He has also resumed teaching. “I just signed a contract with the Yehudi Menuhin Academy in Gstaadt, Switzerland, as music advisor. It involves lessons, masterclasses and performances with the Academy Ensemble. I’m also negotiating with the Royal Music Academy in London, and I lead the annual Musica Mundi International chamber music course and festival, where I work with 45 young talented musicians aged eight to 26.”

Among his numerous activities, the busy musician has inaugurated a 10- day master course in Gdansk, Poland.

“Studying with 27 young violinists was a sheer pleasure, and the course organizers asked me to continue next year. Hopefully, it will become an annual event.”

And as if this were not enough, Vengerov will head the jury of the 14th International Veniavsky Violin Competition in Poznan, give two concerts with the Moscow Philharmonic in Moscow and St.

Petersburg, tour Poland and appear with the Prague Philharmonic and pianist Fazil Sai in several venues in Italy, Germany, Lichtenstein. And he hasn’t abandoned his Baku orchestra, either.

So try to catch him here. It seems it may be quite a while before he has time to return.

Maxim Vengerov performs Beethoven’s Violin Concerto under Evgeny Tzirlin on September 18 at 8:30 p.m. at the Smollarsh Auditorium in Tel Aviv. www.cartis.habama.co.il

By MAXIM REIDER
09/09/2011

Neither acclaimed violinist Gideon Kremer nor beloved performance artist and clown Slava Polunin needs any introduction. Kremer travels the world as a soloist and with his Kremerata Baltica Ensemble, while Polunin (who made Paris his home and experimental lab) tours the globe with his circus, in addition to his Broadway show.

Both are entrancing performers, but Kremer and Polunin sharing a stage is a novelty that is about to happen for the first time at Tel Aviv’s Arts Center next week, in the framework of Polunin’s Snowshow Israeli tour, which includes other performances as well.

Some may find it a bit strange, but that is not surprising, considering that neither Polunin nor Kremer hesitates to cross the boundaries of their artistic worlds.

Polunin did so five years ago in a Tel Aviv world premiere of his new work, together with British director Terry Gilliam.

Kremer and Polunin have something more in common beyond the willingness to try new things and, as British writer G.K Chesterton put it, “merrily step into the darkness.”

In a phone interview with Kremer, he said, “It is probably poetry that unites us. Everything Slava does, his very attitude toward his life work, is full of poetry. Slava’s music appeals to me. It is always very beautiful, always inviting a conversation. It is never sounds just for the sake of making sounds. It is full of images that reach the audiences’ hearts.

Nowadays there is too much commercialism in our profession, too much music that is offered because it’s familiar and, as such, is easy to emotionally digest and, as a result, is in great demand. Slava’s starting point seems to be totally different. He feels an inner urge to share something that is very important to him. There is something naïve and childlike about it and yet very close to me. This made me recall my youth, when I was attracted to the world of theater. It was only natural to approach Slava who, among all the artists I’m acquainted with, is the most flexible and imaginative. I think he also has something in common with the touching and pure world of Marcel Marceau, who lives in my early memories.”

Kremer stressed that he doesn’t have the slightest idea what to expect from this collaboration.
“When I approached Slava, I didn’t expect to be drawn into this affair, and I don’t know how it will develop. Maybe it will give birth to more shows together or maybe it will remain a one-time artistic encounter. Granted, I’m not going to become a clown. I’m staying with my career as a musician, but at the same time I do not see myself and Kremerata just accompanying Slava’s show. Because probably the major thing about Slava is that he is a personality, while in the world of today personality has lost its importance. Honestly, I don’t know how it will look on stage, although we’ve been working on this project for several months now. Kremerata musicians are not actors. That said, we have created several works that border on theater, and that was why I dared approach Slava. This is an experiment, and that is exactly why it attracts me, not only on this occasion but in my music activities in general – to discover new things.”

So what will it look like and sound like? “I wish I could say that we have created a totally new show,” saidKremer, “but there’s no reason for that. We’ve been discussing the project with Slava for several months, but we have only three rehearsal days and you cannot create a completely new piece in that limited amount of time. In the most simple words, I can say that new ingredients are being added to this tasty cake. That is, within the existing framework of Snowshow, which Slava has been showing throughout the world, Kremerata and I will join Slava and his wonderful actors. Once on stage, the show will start to breathe, and the result could hopefully transcend Slava’s wildest fantasies.”

This intriguing cooperation between tow of the world’s leading artists is not to be missed.

הקונצרט במוצ”ש 10.09.11 בפסטיבל הבינלאומי למוסיקה קאמרית בירושלים, אולם אימקא נפתח בביצוע של סונטת האביב לכינור ולפסנתר, של בטהובן. גאי בראונשטיין, הכנר המוביל של הפילהרמונית של ברלין ואחד מהכנרים הישראלים הבולטים, הגיש ביצוע יפה ונקי, אך חסר יצר בטהובניאני; לעומתו, יפים ברונפמן שליווה אותו בפסנתר, ניגן נפלא – הפסנתר שר תחת אצבעותיו וקטעי פיאניסימו היו עוצרי הנשימה.

השנה לקח על עצמו הפסטיבל יוזמה ראויה לשבח – לחשוף לקהל יצירות של מלחינים יהודיים שנספו בשואה. באותו הערב בוצעה היצירה “אופן האהבה והמוות של הצוער”, מאת ויקטור אולמן, למילים של ריינר מריה רילקה, על ידי זמר הבס ההולנדי רוברט הול, כשאנדרס שיף מלווה אותו בפסנתר. יצירה מרתקת, דרמטית, מודרנית, מלאת עוצמה. ולגבי הביצוע – חזרה נוספת לא הייתה מזיקה לשני המוסיקאים הבולטים.

הערב הסתיים בביצוע “השיר על הארץ” – אחת היצירות החשובות של גוסטב מהלר בביצוע של הרכב משתתפי הפסטיבל והסולנים. תחילתו של הביצוע היתה צולעת למדי, על אף רשימת הנגנים המרשימה, אולם המנצחת סוזנה מלקי השתלטה על המצב ועשתה צדק ליצירה המרתקת. וולטראוד מאייר, הזמרת הואגנריאנית הדגולה, הייתה במיטבה, וקטעי הסולו של האבובנית תמר ענבר והחלילן גי אשד ראוים לשבח.

השורה התחתונה: הנס לא קרה

לא ביקרתי בפסטיבל כ-10 שנים, שום דבר לא השתנה. יש פה ושם קונצרטים מצוינים ולצידם – לא מעט חלטורה.
(שלושה וחצי כוכבים)

פורסם בידיעות אחרונות 15.09.11 בגירסה מקוצרת

“For us – cellist Hillel Tzori, his violinist brother Nitai and me – it is important to manage our career from Israel,” says Tal, who was born into the family of violinist Alexander Tal. She started playing piano from the age of five, received her musical education in the US, but has occasionally returned home.

“It is also important to create a positive image of an Israeli musician who has returned home after completing his or her studies abroad and builds the career from here, both as a performer and a teacher. Granted, this is far from easy and maybe less glorious, but seeing these flowers flourishing over the years as a result of your efforts is an immense pleasure; it is most rewarding,” she says, Busy performers and teachers, Tal and the Tzori brothers, who have been playing together for many years, have inaugurated their club in order to perform and record the music of Israeli composers and to pull from obscurity some of the pieces that were composed some 50-60 years ago.

Over the years the Israel Chamber Club, which makes the Felicja Blumental Center its home base, has performed about 70 pieces by Israeli composers.

“Another aim of the club is to educate,” continues Tal. “We often invite our students to perform with us, and for them this is the most valuable knowledge. They both learn new pieces and acquire performing experience. Busy as we are with our careers, we make it a point to prepare three or four new programs for our club every year.”

The guest performers at the evening are as well as the internationally renowned clarinet player Gilead Harel and Israeli violinist Ya’akov Rubinstein, who enjoys a globe-trotting career and, until recently, served as the concert master of the Bamberg Symphony.

“We also work in the close cooperation with the Jerusalem Music Center and Telma Yellin Arts School. This is where the young concert participants come from,” says Tal, who divides her time between performing and teaching.

In December, she will play Erwin Schulhoff’s Piano Concerto with the Jerusalem Symphony.

“Schulhoff, a Jewish composer who perished in the Holocaust, studied with Debussy. T his is an intriguing and purely neoclassical piece, and I’m almost sure this will be its Israeli premiere.”

Known for her love of French music, Tal will tour the US with a series of lecture concerts on this theme, as well as perform a circle of all Brahms sonatas with violinist Nitai Tzori.

Her teaching activities include master classes in Israel and abroad, including the Far East, and she recently returned from Italy, where she taught a master course at the Perugia Music Fest, organized by Israeli pianist Ilana Vered. “There was an impressive group of Israelis there, both teachers and students, and I really loved the very special non-competitive atmosphere.”

And now, with the support of the Jerusalem Music Center and its director Hed Sella, “who from the very first moment was of great help for us,” she is working on a summer course for young pianists, which takes place every July in Jerusalem.

“We bring about 20 young pianists from all over the country for a few days of team work. Most of them are recipients of the America Israel scholarship, the foundation that makes the continuation of musical tradition in this country possible. Among other things, they play music with four and eight hands, sometimes written especially for the course.

“This gives them an opportunity to come out of their rooms, where they practice alone, and see other kids,” she says.

September 21 at the Felicja Blumental Music Center, 26 Bialik Street, Tel Aviv. For reservations: (03) 620-1185

By MAXIM REIDER
Published at the Jerusalem Post 16/09/2011

“These are two different programs,” explains Amijai Shalev. The first, in which we are joined by tango dancers Ronen Hayat and Maya Schwartz, is more intimate. It is for those who want to hear tango of different styles and periods as it sounds in cafes of Buenos Aires. The second is for those who prefer a big symphonic sound. It is like you take music from the street and bring it to a symphony hall – it both gains and loses and takes on a new aspect. We perform Astor Piazzola’s Four Seasons of Buenos Aires, especially arranged for quartetand orchestra.

Tango is folk music, it is never written for this or that instrument, so every new ensemble requires a new arrangement,” he explains.

Shalev, who has been living in Buenos Aires for six years, where he studies bandoneon, performs and teaches, says that although the bandoneon is now associated first and foremost with tango, the instrument was invented in Germany, where it never gained popularity. “It was created for religious services as a mobile replacement for an organ. In Latin America it immediately became part of the tango music due its melancholy voice and its ability to play in a rhythm and to produce an explosive sound, which provides a performer with a lot of opportunity for expression.”

He goes on to explain that “Just like a clarinet allows one to reflect the chanting of an Ashkenazi cantor (which is why it was chosen for klezmer music), the bandoneon expresses the manner of speech of the Porteño – people of Buenos Aires.”

Speaking about his personal attachment to the instrument, Shalev says that aside from the bandoneon’s special voice, the very way it produces sounds is dear to him. “You keep the instrument between your hands, and it is all about how you make the air flow – the instrument moves with you. The bandoneon is an instrument with energy, and with a lot of presence – it never hides behind the others.”

As for the concert program, Shalev says that Piazzola’s Four Seasons (which, unlike Vivaldi’s concerto of the same name was not written as one piece but consists of several compositions) is music that speaks about life as seen through the eyes of the people of Buenos Aires.

“In its spirit and mentality, this is city music, like jazz. What is characteristic of music by Piazzola is that it reflects urban life of the 1970-80s.”

In Israel, pianist Bashkirova is associated mainly with the annual Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival, which she founded in 1996 and has been directing ever since, despite the fact that she is an artist in her own right, who has performed here in the framework of her festival and with local orchestras.

“In my father’s lessons, which often took place at home,” she says, “quality of sound and a sense of form were essential.”

She adds that as a teacher, her father never limited his students to piano music but tried to widen their music horizons. ”We listened to opera, symphony music, whatever.”

She was 16 when her father agreed to accept her into his class on the condition that she take her music studies seriously, ”I decided to give the piano a chance,” she laughs. But it was not until she was in her early 20s that she began to get a sense of the stage. She started to accompany the prominent violinist Gidon Kremer ”to whom I’m very grateful for his trust and for what I learned from him,” she says. Although her peers already felt comfortable on the concert stage, she only started to perform in public. But she doesn’t regret being a late bloomer. ”I think that my endeavors in other art forms gave me a wider vision,” she says.

Today, Bashkirova performs as a soloist with symphony orchestras, as well as playing in chamber ensembles and giving solo recitals. As for her musical preferences, Bashkirova defines them as classical, with Mozart being her favorite composer. ”He is often regarded as difficult to perform, but I feel so at ease with his music.” And she finds contemporary music interesting to perform as well.

Fifteen years ago, Bashkirova established the Jerusalem International Chamber Music Festival with the clear idea of contributing to this country’s musical life. This annual event, which traditionally takes place in early September and hosts leading European musicians, attracts its dedicated audience from all over the country. ”As soon as my kids grew up a little, I felt free to do something else. It would be wrong to say that I found the festival or the festival found me – but it looks like we were created for each other and are happy together.” She adds that since not every music lover would travel to Israel, ”we are now running mini Jerusalem Festivals in several cities in Europe, as well as in New York.”

The concert program features Manuel De Falla’s Nights in the Gardens of Spain and César Franck’sVariations Symphoniques, as well as Ravel’s Rapsodie Espagnole and Debussy’s Nocturnes. She describes the program as ”most beautiful and delicious” and says she is looking forward to appearing again before the responsive Israeli public.

Next week Bashkirova will appear in a concert series of the New Haifa Symphony under the orchestra’s artistic director Noam Sherif on May 28 – June 1, performing Nights in the Gardens of Spain and Variations Symphoniques.

Russian stage director Roman Viktiuk returns to Israel with two of his most famous works – The Maids by Jean Genet and Salomé, after Oscar Wilde. This is not the first time that Viktiuk’s theater company will visit our shores, but until recently it appealed only to the local Russianspeaking community. .
This time, it was decided to add Hebrew surtitles to the plays, and for good reason: Viktiuk’s Maids has been touring the globe for 25 years, so the Israeli public certainly deserves to have access to his work

In a phone interview from Tomsk, where his theater is on tour, the 75- year-old Viktiuk speaks about his artistic views. Although an eight-hour flight separates Tel Aviv from this old Siberian city, one can almost physically feel waves of love emanating from this special person.

“Nothing much has changed in our cultural life since the fall of the communist regime. We artists are still under pressure,” complains the director. ”Once it was ideological censorship, and now it is all about the people with big money who define our cultural life. What they are interested in is only light entertainment for the masses, and I think this is even worse because it is all about the sinister facet of human nature. And true art has always rebelled against it because artists knew that this was the road to destruction.”

What is important for Viktiuk in theater is “Fighting this new materialism, this cynicism; keeping in our repertoire pieces of the authors – Russian, but not only – who followed the humanistic tradition and dedicated their art to the celebration of the human spirit; and to nurture my artists in the spirit of love.”

He confides that his esthetic principles are those of the Silver Age and of Russian avant-garde culture of the beginning of the 20th century. “This is a religious, a sacred aesthetic, which is still in demand because of lack of spirituality in our reality.”

Born in the ancient city of Lvov in the western Ukraine, which boasts a rich and long-standing culture that flourished there due to the city’s unique geographical position at the crossroads of civilizations, Viktiuk saw staging Genet’s programmatic piece as a challenge and a must. “Genet, who fought spiritual slavery, was seen as public enemy #1 by the Soviet authorities. But my heart told me that I had to do it – and I did it. For 25 years now, our Maids has been touring the world, appearing in soldout theater halls. ‘Slaves are unable to love,’ screams our show, ‘they can only hate.’” Another piece the theater is performing is Salomé, after Oscar Wilde. “I was interested not only in the piece itself but also in Oscar Wilde’s life story and, above all, his trial. We received new unpublished documents, which we used in our show. As a result, Oscar Wilde is the central character of the piece.

During the trial he writes the play and thinks of what he would say to the man who betrayed him and eventually threw him in prison. And he realizes that the only thing he can say is that love is still his essence. And this is exactly what our show says: love!

The plays have been translated into Hebrew by Israeli Opera stage director Julia Pevzner.

The Maids: May 28 Gerard Behar Center in Jerusalem; May 29 Heichal Hatarbut in Ashkelon; June 2 the Northern Theater, Kiryat Haim; June 4 TAPAC in Tel Aviv.

Salomé: May 31 Heichal Hatarbut, Beersheba; June 1 Rappoport Center, Haifa; June 3 TAPAC in Tel Aviv.

By MAXIM REIDER
27/05/2011

“The idea behind the programming is to create an event that would be attractive for local audience, but not only. Judging by the high demand for tickets, it looks like it’s succeeding.”

Working with a co-director, Grunfeld says they’re a team: ”Each of us brings his connections with art and artists. There’s no clear division like Ido is responsible only for dance programs, while I take care of music.

Rather, it is a specialization, and there is a lot of cooperation and discussions.”

Grunfeld explains that the shows are suited to Rishon’s Heichal Hatarbut major hall with its large, wellequipped stage, and to the small auditorium at the lower level of the building, which is ideal for intimate chamber programs.

“This year for the first time we also have huge outdoor shows, as well as free shows in the park, which actually form a festival within the festival.”

Among the major outdoor shows, Grunfeld names French ensemble Les Passagers, where the dancers draw a painting on the wall while performing snappling (rappelling).

“Dancing on the walls is this group’s specialization,” he says, adding that another “flying” ensemble, Voladores de Papantla from Mexico, will present its traditional art. “This is a folklore group of Indians, which presents the ancient art of snappling, so different from the sportive snappling of today.”

Also performing in the park is Mayumana. This fiery Israeli group, which performs to capacity audiences here and around the world, celebrates its 15th year with an exhilarating show. Grunfeld stresses that Israeli artists who have successful careers abroad are welcome at the festival.

“The festival opens with a concert by French/Israeli singer/songwriter Keren Ann, who will inaugurate her new album here,” he says Another singer who will attract throngs of musiclovers is Greek singer Eleftheria Arvanitaki. “Her show could have been presented in the park, but the Heichal Hatarbut auditorium is large enough for concerts of that kind and is still intimate. It seats 900 and is beautifully designed.”

In a new festival production, the essentially classical Israeli Ballet troupe will perform worksby Itzik Galili, a young Israeli choreographer who lives in Holland and works with major modern dance ensembles. “Galili brings neoclassical dance to the troupe With him, they do things they’ve never done before,” says Grunfeld. “From projects like this, not only the audience but also the artists gain a lot.”

Meanwhile, in a totally different production commissioned by the festival, Israeli actor Guy Zoaretz, who is also the host of the Survivor TV series, will sing songs in Ladino. “His family comes from Saloniki [Thessaloniki]. These are his roots, and I doubt if he would have created this intimate Prince of Ladino program if not for the festival,” says Grunfeld. In addition, actress Galit Giat will present a tribute to three Israeli divas, singing the songs ofShoshana Damari, Yaffa Yarkoni and Esther Ofarim.

“As you can see, the festival gives leading Israeli artists the opportunity to create programs that do not necessarily belong to their field,” says Grunfeld.

For more information: www.springfestival.co.il. For tickets: (03) 948-8688.

By MAXIM REIDER
05/13/2011 16:15

Krasa wrote his opera in 1938 on a libretto by Adolf Hoffmeister, a tale of the victory of good over evil, for a competition organized by the Czech Ministry of Education and Culture.

Shortly afterwards the Nazis invaded and the works of Krasa, who was Jewish, were banned from being performed before a general audience.

Even before the first performance of Brundibar took place at a Jewish boys’ orphanage in Prague, Krasa and the opera’s conductor were arrested and were sent to a transit camp, Theresienstadt.

There, in the “exemplar ghetto,” the composer was reunited with the children. Brundibar was performed in Theresienstadt 55 times, with the cast constantly being renewed, as the inmates were sent to their deaths in extermination camps. The opera was also performed before the Red Cross representatives, and parts of it were filmed for the Nazi propaganda movie The Fuhrer Gives the Jews a Town. All the participants of the production were herded into cattle trucks and sent to Auschwitz as soon as the filming was completed. Most of them were gassed immediately upon arrival – the children, Krasa, the director Kurt Gerron and the musicians.

“Brundibar is a moving opera. It is a symbol of the victory of art over the dark forces,” said Naomi Faran, the founder and artistic director of the Moran Children’s Choir, in a phone interview from her home in Moshav Beit Itzhak. “Although the artists were sent to Auschwitz, they left their art in Theresienstadt, and the opera was performed time and again.”

The Moran choir was first invited to perform Brundibar in 2009 in Leipzi at the famous Gewandhaus Hall and at the new Jewish Museum in Berlin.

Then, together with their German counterparts, Moran presented Brundibar twice in Rishon Lezion – first for children, and then for the Holocaust survivors. And now, following an invitation from the Czech Republic, Moran performs Brundibar together with a local boys’ choir in Prague and at home.

“For our children, performing Brundibar is a very important experience,” stresses Faran. “We wanted to help them to identify with the characters, with the situation, with the kids in Theresienstadt.

We visited the camp, we saw documentaries, and I feel that they have grasped the essence of the piece – that this is all about life and death.”

Yet she clarifies: “Brundibar is not a tragic opera, and kids are happy creatures who always enjoy being on stage.”

Today Moran, which was founded 25 years ago, is arguably one of the country’s best choirs, performing both in Israel and abroad. But the beginning was not easy, Faran recalls.

“I was a school music teacher in a village. I have always been in love with my profession, but a school choir was not enough for me. I wanted a choir that also worked in the evening, not only during school hours. At first, people simply could not understand why do we needed a professional choir, which demands funding. They thought that kids singing nicely on holidays was enough.”

But for Faran, it was not enough. She continued her studies at the Tel Aviv Music Academy. “I knew with the kids you could fly as far as you want, it only depends on how good you are as a conductor. I believe that singing is the most natural thing one can do with one’s voice, and the kids are so natural and open. Choirs like Tölzer Knabenchor and the Hanover Girls’ Choir served as my model,” she says.

Faran’s dream of assimilating the culture of choral music in Israeli society as a whole and especially in the younger generations has come true. Not only does the Moran choir appear in Israel and abroad, but over the years many children’s choirs have flourished around the country.

The fully staged Brundibar opera by Hans Krasa, with the participation of 70 singers from the Czech and Israeli children’s choirs, will be performed today at noon at the Mann Auditorium (Heichal Hatarbut) in Tel Aviv. Yossi Schifmann presents. Naomi Faran conducts.

By MAXIM REIDER
28/04/2011