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Don Golem in Prague: A Shadow Puppet Concert
Thu May 8 @ 20:00 - 22:00
On May 8th, join us for a theatrical evening that blends Jewish mysticism, classical opera, and shadow puppetry.
Don Golem in Prague explores the mythology and cultural histories behind the “Golem” creature of Jewish mystical folklore, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni (1787). Fortepianist Gili Loftus and puppeteer Jake (Yankl) Krakovsky will join forces to create a unique theatrical puppet performance in conversation with the musical and poetic elements of Mozart’s timeless opera. One-of-a-kind shadow puppets, a 19th-century Viennese fortepiano, all infused with the magical air of Prague – a memorable night out at the theatre awaits you!
Doors at 8pm. Performance begins at 8:30pm. Seating will be on a first come, first served basis.
We encourage guests to pay what they can for tickets. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Click here to reserve your tickets.
Our bar will be open with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage options, payable by card only.
About the Performers:
Award winning keyboardist, Gili Loftus’ three-fold expertise on the fortepiano, modern piano and harpsichord lend her playing a character that is unique to her, and which has opened up new and exciting paths for artistic and historical exploration which Gili has been invited to share through her performances and lectures on both sides of the Atlantic. In growing demand as a solo and collaborative artist, Gili performs worldwide, including in her hometown of Jerusalem. Gili’s studies and artistic endeavours over the years have been generously supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as le conseil des arts et des letters du Québec and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, among others. Her recordings can be heard under the Leaf Music (Canada) and Backlash Music (Berlin) labels. Loftus belongs to Beyond Artists, a coalition of artists that donates a percentage of their concert fee to organizations they care about. Tonight, Gili is donating to Welcome Collective and les Amis de la montagne.
Yankl (Jake) Krakovsky (b. 1991, Atlanta, GA) is a theater artist, educator, and Yiddishist based in Western Massachusetts. They have worked professionally for over a decade as an actor, puppeteer, writer, director, dramaturg, teaching artist, and clown. Yankl has received residencies from Atlanta’s Tony Award-winning Alliance Theatre as well as the Collaborative Arts Lab in Arezzo, Italy. He is a current Oral History Field Fellow and Translation Fellow at the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, MA, and a founding member of Atlanta’s Clown Corp LLC.
This event is a part of the Montreal Jewish Arts Collaborative (MJAC). MJAC is a joint initiative between the Museum of Jewish Montreal, KlezKanada, and the Segal Centre for Performing Arts. Made possible with support by the Azrieli Foundation, the Betty Averbach Foundation, and CANVAS. The artists acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts. La création de cette oeuvre a été rendu possible grâce à l’appui financier du Conseil des arts de des lettres du Québec.