About this event
In the final months of his life—shortly after the death of his father, a cantor in the Jewish community—Kurt Weill began composing a Kaddish. The work remained unfinished, but is considered a sign of a late, deep return to his roots.
What happens when Israeli jazz musicians, known for creative reinterpretations of Hasidic melodies, meet a German electronic musician whose atmospheric soundscapes are primarily known from the theater? The Nigun Quartet and Daniel Dorsch explore the music of George Gershwin and Kurt Weill together. By combining modern jazz with traditional nigunim, they uncover the Jewish DNA embedded in some of Broadway's most famous pieces.
Surprising connections emerge: Gershwin’s "Porgy and Bess" reflects themes of displacement, resilience, and the longing for dignity—feelings that resonated deeply in 1930s Europe. "Summertime" mingles with Hasidic devotion; the energy of New York meets the spirit of the synagogue, Broadway meets contemporary jazz and electronic sounds.
