Martha Argerich Festival launches ‘Jewish Life in Europe’
NewsThis summer’s Martha Argerich Festival in Hamburg will open with a three-part event on Jewish Life in Europe.
The programme reads:
Thu. 20.06.24 | from 17:15 | Kampnagel, K2
»SCHOLEM ALEICHEM« – GRAND OPENING IN 3 PARTS
Reading: »A Tale of A Thousand and One Nights« (17:15)
Music by Max Bruch, Maurice Ravel, and Osvaldo Golijov, plus Jazz (19:30)
Panel Discussion: »The Jewish People, Freedom, and The Jewish People, Freedom, and the Arts« (21:00)
with Martha Argerich, Sergio Tiempo, Edgar Moreau, Haggai Cohen-Milo, Pablo Barragán,
Samuel Weiss, Hans-Jürgen Schatz, Christoph Menke, Stella Leder, Michael Wolffsohn,
members of Symphoniker Hamburg, and others
The opening events of this year’s Martha Argerich Festival at Kampnagel have to do with the
theme, »Jewish Life in Europe«. The three-part program brings together a reading, a concert,
and a panel discussion: in the first part, actor Hans-Jürgen Schatz will read 13 chapters from
a new and still unpublished German translation of Scholem Aleichem’s »A Tale of A
Thousand and One Nights«. In his book, Aleichem describes the first months of World War I
in central Europe and the beginning of the end of Jewish life there.
For the concert that follows, Martha Argerich has invited pianist Sergio Tiempo, cellist Edgar
Moreau, clarinetist Pablo Barragán, double bassist Haggai Cohen-Milo, and others to join
members of the Hamburger Symphoniker in a program that brings together Max Bruch’s
powerful setting of the Jewish prayer »Kol Nidrei«, Maurice Ravel’s masterful tone poem »La
Valse«, in which the dances of a carefree age are confronted by the horrors of the First World
War, and a suite by Osvaldo Golijov that unites Klezmer, Tango, Stravinsky, and medieval
Jewish mysticism. The musical part of the program will also include virtuoso improvised
sounds from Jazz and World Music and will have a literary framework: with a reading from
Scholem Aleichem’s 14th chapter, a story about Jewish life in the early 20th century will be
juxtaposed with Shakespeare’s Shylock from »A Merchant of Venice«, one of the most
famous Jewish figures in Renaissance theater. In addition to Hans-Jürgen Schatz’s readings,
Samuel Weiss will appear as Shylock. A literary and musical journey from medieval times to
the 20th century.
Ok, well, get ready to have the shit protested out of you. Hate to see Martha get the recent Jerry Seinfeld treatment, but nobody wants to hear about how wonderful Jewish life is right now. Gotta read the room.
“Reading the room” is exactly what she’s doing, particularly now more than ever. Also, this is in Germany, not the US, and German authorities will not tolerate the terrorist threats and harassment of Jews that have been allowed to happen in America. I have given Argerich a hard time for artistic reasons in the past, but now she has my profoundest admiration and respect as a human being.
Frankly, ‘reading the room’ actually means one of two things 1) shutting up (see no evil hear no evil or 2) following the herd in a sheep like manner. Or lemmings.
Fortunately, these music programs will not result in any stoning of the performers, and people from all backgrounds and interests (and preferences) can enjoy them (or not). A Persian (Iranian) program can pair with a Jewish program. Well, maybe only in certain longitudinal regions.
Maybe not literal stoning but cancellations & protests are prevalent everywhere. The majority of those people camping & protesting on university campuses, for example, from Australia to Ireland & elsewhere, wouldn’t recognise a History Book if it fell on their heads.
The artistic programme sounds fabulous, and I would think would attract a wide audience. The fact of a panel discussion afterward, which will almost inevitably end up, whatever the intention, discussing what is currently going on far from Europe (whatever Eurovision thinks) but whose repercussions on Jewish life in Europe must be terrifying, may put some off.
It’s a good idea, and this one ought to be filmed — for television, by professionals.
I don’t see why Martha Argerich would take the risk, and I very much hope she won’t be there in person. No “panel discussion” ever did a damned thing for anyone, except to give a platform to those who want to shout, scream and terrorize, relying all the while on the good will of those too woke or just plain terrified to throw them out. It will only take one or two 20-something low-lifes draped in the Palestinian flag and a couple of overturned chairs for this to go all wrong. Any panel discussions should be cancelled.
So Jews should just roll over and play dead because of terrorist threats? That’s exactly what they want, for Jews to go into hiding and be forced out of their cultural life and communities. I commend Martha Argerich for doing this. She knows exactly why she’s doing it and that the time to do it is precisely now more than ever.
I’m very sorry to tell you that I agree.
I shun these politically motivated concerts.
When I go to Hamburg first thing I do is eating a fish sandwich. There’s a good place on the water by the Elbhhilharmonie.
For “Jewish-themed” the program is quite a jumble. Sholem Aleichem and Ravel, what do they say to each other? Maybe Evgeny Kissin has a better idea when he plays Jewish composers and recites poetry in Yiddish. More of a piece.
Looks a fantastic programme
European Jewry is almost gone. Britain and France, where most European Jews now live, are no longer safe for Jews.
For those wishing to light a candle on Holocaust Remembrance Day today in memory of a victim: https://www.illuminatethepast.org/