Event

Operetta In Exile -The Music Silenced by the Third Reich

Operetta, with its penchant for social satire and its disproportionate number of Jewish librettists, composers, and performers, was bound to stir the ire of the Third Reich. In this haunting and poignant concert program of beautiful (European Broadway style) music, the Folks Operetta and Cantor Simon will examine the composers and librettists who were forced into exile or persecuted and perished during the Holocaust. Many of these artists were mainstays of European theater for much of the early 20th Century. However, with the rise of the Nazi Party in the early 1930's, this once vibrant musical community was soon silenced. There has been a re-surging interest in the music of classical composers who perished in the Holocaust. However, the story of the operetta composers who suffered the same fate remains largely untold, despite their art form being at the forefront of popularity at the time of the Third Reich.
The performers of the Folks Operetta are second to none, with soaring voices and artistry that have allowed them to ascend to the top venues of musical Chicago, but more than that, they care deeply for the composers of this important, incredible music. In this moving, multi-media concert presentation, backed by a gorgeous Piano and quintet ensemble, they, along with our wonderful cantor, will lift the veil of silence from these forgotten voices.