Cer THE Z/P.
John Tanasychuk, Detroit Free Press, January 8th, 1999
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Baritone Cantor Thom King, also a composer and recording artist, and Cantor
Fredda Rakusin Mendelson, an opera performer recognized worldwide for her
dramatic mezzo repertoire, will join Cantors Harold Orbach and Lori Corssin
of Temple Israel in the performance of "Souls on Fire."
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for the synagogue and some orchestral
music. This proved to me that I was
capable of writing music on [a larger]
scale. It's 70 minutes long and has full
orchestra, full chorus, operatic-style
soloists and spoken parts."
While the rest of the recording team
traveled to be with the Bulgarian
National Symphony and Chorus in their
home territory, Nimoy did his narration
in a New York studio. The former Star
Trek performer has done other religion-
based recordings and appearances work-
ing with the Western Wind Ensemble.
He also was host of Jewish Short Stories
porn Eastern Europe and Beyond, a series
on National Public Radio.
"The oratorio is very uplifting, spiri-
tual and powerful, and it gives me a
great feeling of connection to Jewish
history," says Nimoy, who grew up in
an Orthodox home in Massachusetts
and now is a member of a Reform
temple in Los Angeles.
"I don't consider myself spiritually or
politically connected to Chasidism, but
I have respect for all forms of Judaism.
I admire the Chasids' passion and love
of God and Torah. It all moves me."
Rabbi Bennett, who was active with
theater programs in high school and
college and was part of an improvisa-
tional theater group, also feels con-
nected to the stories that make up the
oratorio, although his religious obser-
vance is not connected to the Chasidic
movement today.
"The piece is very spiritually uplift-
ing and inspiring," says Bennett, who
believes he has special stage experience
in the rabbinate, which, he says,
brings drama through prayers and pre-
sentations on the bimah.
"Cantor Orbach asked me to be a
narrator because he knew of my
background, and I'm very glad that
he did. I've never done an oratorio,"
Bennett adds.
A very different experience comes
through Rakusin Mendelson, whose
voice is on the recording and who has
performed the piece in Boston.
"The stories in the oratorio are
interesting, and the music is beauti-
ful," she says. "With the narrators,
soloists and orchestra, the piece is
quite varied, and there are some move-
ments that I wish would go on longer.
"The Chasidic beliefs today are very
different from mine, but I want to
respect them and hope that my beliefs
will be respected by others."
Osborne, who performs as a narra-
tor on the recording and wrote the
environmental cantata Tree of Lift,
thinks of this work as a link to the
past for all Jews regardless of belief or
worship preferences. He wants non-
Jews to get an appreciation of Jewish
heritage and creativity.
"I hope that audiences will come
away with an appreciation that the
[people being depicted] were real peo-
ple living in real times with real emo-
tions — the same as us. I want audi-
ences to empathize with the people
described in the oratorio." ❑
Souls on Fire will be presented 3
p.m. Sunday, April 1, at Temple
Israel, 5725 Walnut Lake Road,
West Bloomfield. The program is
being presented as the annual
Harry Laker Memorial Concert
and is co-sponsored by the
Jewish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit and
Temple Israel's Couples Club.
For complimentary tickets, call
(248) 661-5700.
c
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