Raisins and Almonds, Pomegranates and Roses: Kinneret Ely in Art Songs Based on Jewish Folk Songs in Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino, and more.  At the piano: Dina Pruzhansky.

November 13, 2024 at the Williamsburg Regional Library Auditorium, 515 Scotland Street, Williamsburg, VA 23185

The vast world of art songs—solo vocal works with piano accompaniment—includes a fascinating subset of adaptations of folk songs. Notable examples include Obradors’ arrangements of Spanish folk songs and Copland’s adaptations of American folk songs. In this concert, Opera in Williamsburg explores art song adaptations of Jewish folk songs. The program features songs in Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino, and more, drawing on the rich diversity of Jewish cultural traditions. 

In Jewish culture, communal singing is central. This type of singing is informal, done by non-professionals, and is not a performance for an audience.  It is often a group activity—whether in celebration, mourning, or pure enjoyment of music. It takes place around the Shabbat table, at family gatherings, during student trips, and at occasions such as weddings and holidays. There are no rehearsals and no formal instruction. Often, there is no instrumental accompaniment, and when there is, it’s usually an accordion or guitar, not a piano. Sometimes we know who composed a melody, sometimes we do not – it is the manner of singing that makes them "folk songs."

Some composers, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, have drawn from this vibrant tradition, transforming folk songs into art songs—pieces intended for formal performance by a trained solo vocalist with substantial piano accompaniment. This concert will feature a selection of such songs, ranging from Ravel’s settings to contemporary works, in a wide variety of Jewish languages including Hebrew, Yiddish (a Germanic dialect once spoken by Jews in Eastern Europe), Ladino (a Judeo-Spanish dialect once common in the Mediterranean), Aramaic (a Middle Eastern ancient language used in Jewish liturgy), and more. 

Join us for a captivating evening of music with soprano Kinneret Ely, accompanied by pianist and composer Dina Pruzhansky.