FULL Symphony No.3 ‘Kaddish’ (Bernstein) Highland Park IL 2023 Marin Alsop, Janai Brugger
Information on the Performance
- Work Title: Symphony No.3 ‘Kaddish’ (
- Composer: Bernstein Leonard
- Libretto:
- Venue & Opera Company: Highland Park, Ravinia Festival, Illinois
- Recorded: July 30, 2022
- Type: Concert Live
- Singers: Janai Brugger, Jaye Ladymore
- Conductor: Marin Alsop
- Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra
- Chorus: Chicago Symphony Chorus, Uniting Voices (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir)
- Stage Director:
- Costume Designer:
Information about the Recording
- Published by: PBS
- Date Published: 2023
- Format: Streaming
- Quality Video: 4 Audio:4
- Subtitles: yessubs, ensubs
- Video Recording from: PBS FULL VIDEO
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS PERFORMANCE
Originally composed in 1963, composer Leonard Bernstein made revisions to his Kaddish symphony in 1977 which included some cuts, rewrites of both the music and spoken text, and allowed for the speaker to be either a man or woman.
In the Jewish religion, the Kaddish is the name of the prayer chanted at funerals and at synagogue services, yet there’s no mention of death in the prayer. Instead, it mentions “life” three times. In his symphony, Bernstein plays on the prayer’s dualism: Its reputation as a requiem, and its celebration of life in both the music and spoken text.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra has been a regular guest at the Ravinia Festival since 1905 and made it its summer residence in 1936. Each year, the orchestra headlines more than a dozen concerts over six weeks.