The Persistence Of Creativity: CityMusic Cleveland Reflects On The Holocaust

CityMusic Cleveland will perform The Emigrants, part of The Persistence of Creativity series, at 7:00 p.m. on February 20 in the Main Library Auditorium. This special event is in preparation for their spring production of Brundibár and also coincides with the exhibit In a Nutshell: the Worlds of Maurice Sendak on display in the Main Library Second Floor Gallery. A string quartet and woodwind quintet will play the rarely performed music of six different composers whose lives were devastated by the Holocaust.

For the composers featured in The Emigrants concert, the Holocaust had a direct impact on their lives. Maurice Sendak was also impacted by the atrocities of World War II, and it can be seen in his work. While many of his books feature fantastical beasts and rambunctious children, books like Dear Mili, We Are All Down in the Dumps with Jack and Guy and his version of Brundibár with Tony Kushner, all reveal his feelings about the Holocaust. Growing up in America, Sendak was reminded of his Jewish roots with the worn photographs of his European relatives. He knew at a young age that many of them died in concentration camps.

CityMusic Cleveland is a professional chamber orchestra which performs free concerts throughout the city. They have made it their mission to give communities quality classical performances without the high ticket prices, and they also work with communities to enrich cultural offerings. This unique and poignant performance will take place at the Library on Monday, February 20th at 7:00 p.m.

To find out more about the CityMusic Cleveland Brundibár performance and The Persistence of Creativity series, go to:  http://www.citymusiccleveland.org/pdfs/brundibar.pdf.

The Maurice Sendak exhibit will be on display through February 24, and can be viewed during regular Library hours.