Performing the Jewish Archive

ISTHMUS PICK

Sunday, Aug. 30, various locations

Local scholars and musicians are part of an international research project that presents rediscovered music and theatrical works by Jewish artists. Events include a brunch, a tour of the Mills Music Library’s remarkable collection of Yiddish recordings, a concert honoring Jewish composers who perished in the Holocaust, and a cabaret night.

Press release:

“Out of the Shadows: Rediscovering Jewish Music, Literature and Theater” on August 30 in Madison (the only United States location) as part of “Performing the Jewish Archive.”

The U.S. component of a major international research project, “Performing the Jewish Archive,” led by the University of Leeds, in England, has attracted significant funding to shine new light on forgotten works by Jewish artists. The University of Wisconsin–Madison and the City of Madison are uniquely situated as the sole hosts for the project’s performance events within the United States; one of the premier public research-intensive universities in the world, located in a community that lives and breathes diverse arts, while striving for social change.

Here, in Madison, under the leadership of Dr. Teryl Dobbs, Chair of Music Education at the UW-Madison, “Out of the Shadows: Rediscovering Jewish Music, Literature and Theater” will be a full-day event held on Sunday, August 30, 2015. Local partners include the UW-Madison School of Music, Mosse-Weinstein Center for Jewish Studies, the Mayrent Institute for Yiddish Culture, and the Arts Institute at UW-Madison; and Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society.

Events that are free and open to the public in Madison include:

12:20-2:00pm, UW-Madison School of Music - Mills Hall, 3561 Mosse Humanities Building, 455 N. Park St.

Sound Salon, Mayrent Institute for Yiddish Culture

Explore sound archives with Sherry Mayrent (clarinet) and Henry Sapoznik (tenor guitar) – both in a lecture and concert format. The Mayrent Institute holds over 9,000 Yiddish recordings from the first half of the 20th century.

2:30-4:30pm, First Unitarian Meeting House, 900 University Bay Dr.

Concert, Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society

Six members of Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society will perform neglected and suppressed Jewish music from the early 20th century.

7-10pm, Overture Center for the Arts, Promenade Hall, 201 State St.

Two-act Cabaret Evening - “Laugh With Us” and “I’m a Stranger Here Myself”

Laugh With Us” is based on an original cabaret written by four young Czech Jews in the Terezin ghetto, staged by Minneapolis performers Sara Richardson, Ryan Lindberg, and Craig Harris, from research and with commentary by project co-investigator Dr. Lisa Peschel.

“I’m a Stranger Here Myself” by New York actor Mark Nadler who will perform music written by French and German Jewish or gay (or both) songwriters during the age of the Weimar Republic.  

Registration is required for the free events by visiting: http://eepurl.com/bttx_9

In addition, the day will begin with a Welcome Brunch: “Nosh, Kibitz, and Schmooze,” where members of the general public can meet the international team of scholars and partners as they share their insights on the coming together of Jewish archives, music, theater, and literature, and what it means for the future.  The brunch will be at the Alumni Lounge in the Pyle Center at UW-Madison (720 Langdon St.) from 10am-noon. The cost is $12 and registration is required by August 24 by visiting: http://eepurl.com/bttx_9

The Sunday, August 30 event will be the precursor to a longer event, which will run May 1– 5, 2016, in Madison.  This event will include the partners mentioned above as well as the UW-Madison Department of Theatre and Drama, Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Madison Youth Choir.