The beautifully restored Maltz Performing Arts Center welcomed ChamberFest for a concert summoning dreams and visions from the Old Testament. The program’s focal point was Osvaldo Golijov’s The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind. This celebrated 1994 work for klezmer, clarinet and string quartet is available in an acclaimed recording featuring ChamberFest Co-artistic Directors Diana and Franklin Cohen — its three movements are brimming with echoes of Judaic thoughts and feelings. Allusions to biblical figures were also folded into the program’s three other works: Haydn’s Piano Trio, Jacob’s Dream, Merima Ključo’s Miriam the Prophetess, and Britten’s Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac.
Program
Franz Joseph Haydn: Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello in E-flat minor, H. XV:31, “Jacob’s Dream”
Merima Ključo: Miriam the Prophetess for Clarinet and Accordion
Benjamin Britten: Canticle II: Abraham and Isaac for Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor and Piano, Op. 51
Osvaldo Golijov: The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind for Klezmer Clarinet and String Quartet
Artists
Yehonatan Berick, violin
Diana Cohen, violin
Franklin Cohen, clarinet
Marjorie Maltais, mezzo soprano
Oliver Herbert, cello
Hsin-Yun Huang, viola
Jakob Koranyi, cello
Merima Ključo, accordion
Matan Porat, piano
Karim Sulayman, tenor
Orion Weiss, piano