Gregorij von Leitis Michael Lahr von Leitis
Founding Artistic Director Executive- and Program Director
Elysium’s 40th Season: Remember – For the Future!
under the patronage of Dr. Felix Klein
Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany
and the Fight against Anti-Semitism
Review: “Innovators in Exile”
Dear friends and supporters,
In April, we witnessed an extraordinary musical event with Innovators in Exile: 100 Years of the International Society for New Music. 17 musicians performed music by eight exiled composers over the course of three evenings, illuminating works repressed for almost a century. No longer lost to history, these musical masterpieces were finally given the performances they deserved.
We were thrilled by the musical mastery shown by the musicians who brought these compositions to life. Please keep a look out in the coming weeks for video recordings which will be posted on our YouTube channel. In the meantime, please check out this preview of the recordings from the festival and the photos below:
Lastly, thank you to all our supporters who helped to make this festival a reality. Your support was crucial to making Innovators in Exile possible.
However, the conclusion of this festival isn’t the end of Elysium Between Two Continent’s work to illuminate the work of these important artists. Elysium is still dedicated to eliminating hatred and discrimination through the means of art. We will continue to work to bring these beautiful musical masterpieces to light so that contemporary audiences in the U.S. and in Europe have the chance to experience the joy and beauty inherent in these works.
If you’d like to continue to support this important mission, consider making a one-time or recurring donation today: All donations are fully tax-deductible. Please scroll down to the bottom of this mail and use the button there.
Thank you again for supporting Elysium Between Two Continent’s mission and we can’t wait to continue this important work with you.
With best regards,
Michael Lahr von Leitis
David Brown, Director of Public History at the Leo Baeck Institute, welcomed the audience to the first concert, held on April 20 at the Forchheim Auditorium of the Center for Jewish History.
Musicologist and producer Dr. Michael Haas, co-founder of the Exilarte Center, was on hand from Vienna to speak before the concert about the founding of the International Society for New Music 100 years ago in Salzburg.
The Kodak Quartet interpreted string quartets by Hindemith, Lustgarten and Wellesz. From left to right: Edgar Donati & Martin Noh – violin, Blake Kitayama – cello, and Daniel Spink – viola.
Violinist Vartan Mailiantz and cellist Tamar Sagiv played Variations and Fugue on an American Theme by Paul A. Pisk.
Long applause for the performers; from left to right: Elysium’s Program Director Michael Lahr, who conceived the program, pianist Vladimir Rumyantsev, cellist Tamar Sagiv, violinist Vartan Mailiantz, tenor Michael Protacio, soprano Alexis Rodda, soprano Jeannie Im, violinist Edgar Donati, violinist Martin Noh, cellist Blake Kitayama and violist Daniel Spink.
Alexis Rodda (left) had researched much of the music of these exiled composers and gave an introductory lecture on the experience of exile. Michael Leavitt (right), president of the American Society for Jewish Music, was one of the project’s collaborators.
Other chamber music works for strings and piano were performed April 21 in Opera America’s Marc A Scorca Hall. From left to right: Shaleah Feinstein, Sam Parrini, Lydia Rhea and Marcus Stevenson performed the 1st movement of Paul Hindemith’s 7th String Quartet.
Marcus Stevenson shone with his interpretation of the 1959 Rhapsody for Viola Solo by Egon Wellesz.
Pianist Jason Wirth played Rudolf Reti’s 1948 March of the Bewitched and scenes from Egon Lustgarten’s 1945 work The Portal of Initiation.
On April 24, we were guests at the Austrian Cultural Forum New York with a song recital. Baritone Bruce Rameker (left) and soprano Alexis Rodda performed, among others, songs from Wilhelm Grosz cycle Amerika Songs, based on poems by African-American poets.
Guests in the Austrian Cultural Forum auditorium, filled to capacity, were enthralled by the songs performed by (l-r): Pianist Dan Franklin Smith, baritone Bruce Rameker, tenor Michael Protacio, soprano Alexis Rodda and soprano Jeannie Im.
A group of Girl Scouts was also in the audience. At the reception afterwards, they spoke with the Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum New York, Dr. Susanne Keppler-Schlesinger (left), and Franz Leichter, former Senator of the State of New York and nephew of the exiled composer Karl Weigl. Franz Leichter had to leave Austria when he was a young boy.
(Photos: Lothar Lenzen)
Whit Monday