Mother-Daughter date night of Opera and Piano

ESRA is delighted to invite you to a special summer evening concert of American – Israeli International Artists: 

Mother - Daughter date night of Opera and Piano

Nadia Weintraub, Concert Pianist
Mala Weissberg, Mezzo Soprano
With Guest Artist: Orit Orbach, Clarinet

The enchanting program includes light opera Arias by Handel, Mozart, Rossini, Massenet, Broadway Musical favourites, solo piano virtuoso transcriptions, Gershwin songs and Benny Goodman jazz pearls.

PROGRAM

C.W Gluck Melodie from the Opera Orfeo ed Euridice (Arr. Sgambati for Piano)
G. F. Handel "Dopo notte, atra e funesta" from the Opera Ariodante HWV 33
W.A Mozart Brilliante Fantasy on themes from Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro)
W.A Mozart Op.493 for piano by Carl Czerny (excerpt)
W.A Mozart "Voi che sapete" from Le nozze di Figaro K. 492
Johann Strauss II "Ich lade gern mir Gäste ein" Prince Orlofsky’s aria from the Operetta Die Fledermaus (The Bat)
Johann Strauss II "Soirée de Vienne" Concert Paraphrase on Waltz Themes from Die Fledermaus Op.56 by Alfred Grünfeld
F.Liszt "Ständchen" (Serenade) by Schubert Lieder Piano Transcription from Schwanengesang (Swan Song) S.560
G.Rossini "Nacqui all'affanno…/Non più mesta" from the Opera La Cenerentola (Cinderella) Rondo Finale

- Intermission -

Leonard Bernstein West Side Story piano transcription arranged by Nadia Weintraub on songs: America/ I Feel Pretty/ Maria/ Tonight/ Something’s Coming/ Cool
Leonard Bernstein "Somewhere" from the Musical West Side Story
"If I Loved You" from the Musical Carousel Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
"Somewhere That's Green" from the Musical Little Shop of Horrors Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Howard Ashman
L. M Gottschalk The Banjo (An American Sketch for piano) Op.15
Benny Goodman Highlights from his Swing Era for Clarinet and Piano Don’t Be That Way / Stompin’ at The Savoy / Mission To Moscow
George Gershwin Piano improvisations by Gershwin on The Man I Love / Swanee / Embraceable You / I Got Rhythm from Girl Crazy (arr. Maurizio Chiavaroli)

NADIA WEINTRAUB, Concert Pianist
American-Israeli concert pianist Nadia Weintraub has established a performing career over the past three decades noted for its outstanding versatility. Acclaimed as "remarkable and impres­sive" (The New York Times), "vivid and luminous with constantly renewed inventiveness, colourful and spectacular" (Le Soir), "remarkable qualities and talents of a virtuoso perso­nality, one of the most gifted pianist of Israel" (The Jerusalem Post). Her vast repertoire includes Classical to 21st century, promoting women composers and premiers of contemporary works. Marking Clara Schumann's Bicentennial (2019) she per­formed Clara Schumann's piano concerto as well as her cham­ber music. Weintraub appeared as recitalist in North America, Europe and Israel, at renowned venues such as Salla Verdi (Milan), Conservatoire de Musique (Geneva), Salle Pleyel (Paris), Lincoln Centre and Madison Square Garden (New York). As soloist she performed with International orchestras in Canada, United States, Europe and Israel under the baton of renown conductors. A dedicated chamber music pianist, she is co-founder of the "Philomusica" Piano Quartet with members of The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra mentored by Maestro Zubin Mehta. Her unique recitals have been broadcast live on Israel's radio "Voice of Music". By invitation of The State of Is­rael's foreign ministry she performed cultural-exchange concerts in the Republic of Germany, Gala recitals for the Ambassadors of China, United States, the E.U. Ambassador to the United States, and Israel's Ambassadors to Washington D.C and Singapore. Born in New York City into a musical family, both her parents were her first teachers. Her French mother named her after Nadia Boulanger, famed Prof. of Composition at The American Conservatory at Fon­tainebleau. Her father, Cantor Dr. David Weintraub was a world renown Voice Professor. She moved to Israel as a child prodigy and began giving concerts from a young age. A pupil of Prof. Victor Derevianko, she was a recipient of the America- Israel Culture Foundation (AICF) awards, Claremont prize and is laureate of the Geneva International Music Competition. She was awarded full scholarship to The Juilliard School in New York, where she earned her Bache­lor and Masters of Music as a  pupil of pianist Joseph Kalichstein. She is co-founder of "Classi­cal Women" for International Women's Day together with conductor Talia llan. 

MALA WEISSBERG, Mezzo Soprano 
Born in Tel Aviv into a musical family, the young Mezzo Soprano has already performed in numerous operas and concerts around the world and enjoys singing a wide range of repertoire. Ms. Weissberg is a recipient of many awards including title of "Musical Prodigy" from the State of Israel, Encouragement Award from the Career Bridges Foundation, First prize in the Westminster Voice Competition, America-Israel Cultural Foundation (AICF) scholarships, First Prize in the French Chanson competition sponsored by the French Embassy in Israel, and the Ronen Foundation scholarships. She is currently a candidate for the master's degree in Voice Performance at The Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal, Canada.  
Ms. Weissberg is a pupil of Ms. Laura Brooks-Rice and Prof. Matthew Trevino. Her recent performances with Opera McGill include the lead role as Hansel (Hansel und Gretel), and the lead role in Montreal's premiere of the Opera "Plaything." Ms. Weissberg is a graduate of Westminster Choir College at Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey, with a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance. At Westminster Opera Theatre she performed Cendrillon (Cinderella), Dorabella (Cos1 fan tutte), Miss Todd (Old Maid and the Thief), Autumn (Service Provider), Lee (Marie Begins *world premiere) and Third Spirit (Die Zauberflote). She was a member of The Westminster Choir, a soloist at Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, SC, and toured the U.S and China. Other notable performances as soloist include the Young Israel Philharmonic, Excellent Singers Program at The Jerusalem Music Center and live radio broadcasts. 
Ms. Weissberg also studied piano and violin and graduated the Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts. She sang solo and ensemble works at prestigious music festivals including Opera Fest Sewanee, The Cooperative program and Opera Viva! In Italy. She is the daughter of concert pianist Nadia Weintraub.

Orit Orbach- Clarinet, Bass Clarinet 
"Orit is above all an artist. She has an outstanding stage presence, strong personality and natural musicality", Yediot Achronot  
Orit Orbach appeared as soloist with orchestras such as The Israel Philharmonic conducted by Zubin Mehta, Jerusalem Symphony,  Israel Chamber Orchestra, San Francisco Sinfonietta, Sofia Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony, Hagen Symphony and Warsaw Philharmonic. Ms. Orbach was principal Clarinettist of the Jerusalem Symphony, the Israel Symphony, Rishon Lezion, the Haifa Symphony and the Israel Camerata Jerusalem. She participated in numerous music festivals including the Marlboro Festival, London Jazz,Tanglewood, Neustadt festival, Warsaw Jewish festival, Canbara Music festival and  festivals in Australia. She collaborated with Shlomo Mintz, Daniel Barenboim, Yuri  Bashmet, Raphael Wallfisch, David Soyer, Michael Tree and Murray Perahia. Orit specializes in Jewish music and for the past 12 years she performs worldwide with  "Eve's Women Band", a highly appreciated women ensemble which performs Jewish  music in new styles such as Jazz, Rock, Middle Eastern, Balkan. Eve’s Women brings  together a new style- the Jazz- Ethno- Jewish Music with a strong exotic feminine touch.
Ms. Orbach is a judge in international competitions, including the Penderecki International Contemporary Competition in Krakow, Poland, Virgin Island chamber competition, USA, and Spring International competition and The America- Israel Cultural Foundation in Israel. 
Orit graduated the New England Conservatory and received her MM with honors from North Western University. She won first prize in the music performance competitions in New England Conservatory and Northwestern University.

Registration: Click on the register link above or contact the Booking Office at 09-9508371 (ext 2).
Proceeds support ESRA Education and Welfare Community projects to strengthen Israeli society. Read more