(Arts & Entert inment Lifelong Legacy Noted musicologist will explore Leonard Bernstein's most Jewish classical compositions in program at Temple Kol Ami. Suzanne Chessler Special to the Jewish News T he 90th anniversary of the birth of composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein was celebrated with much fanfare throughout 2008, but the pro- grams continue here in Metro Detroit with a lecture and presentation of Bernstein's recorded music. David Schiller, profes- sor of music history and musicology at the University of Georgia, will cover "The Jewish Legacy of Leonard Bernstein" 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 31, at Temple Kol Ami in West Bloomfield. David Schiller The free presentation, co- sponsored with Kol Ami by the Cohn-Haddow Center for Judaic Studies at Wayne State University, is scheduled as the Annual John M. Haddow Memorial Program in Jewish Culture. "The focus will be on the classical compo- sitions that have explicit Jewish material as an integral part of the music:' says Schiller, the author of the book Bloch, Schoenberg and Bernstein: Assimilating Jewish Music. "There has been a lot of information on Bernstein's affirmations of his own Jewish roots throughout his career so it feels very right to have a program like this that remembers him" The three Bernstein pieces covered most extensively in the presentation include "Hashkiveinu" ("Sabbath Prayer for Peace"), The Chichester Psalms and The Kaddish Symphony (also known as Symphony No. 3). The first piece is an example of synagogue music, which only recently has been record- ed, although Bernstein wrote it as a young man. The second brings out a joyous side of the Bernstein Jewish legacy, having to do with how good it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. "The single piece that I've been most interested in is Kaddish," Schiller explains. "The piece uses the traditional Kaddish prayer but presents the prayer in a radical context. "There's a female speaker who announces she's going to say Kaddish for herself because she fears there will be no one to say it after her. "The text had been understood to reflect the nuclear anxieties of the Cold War period, but I felt that the anguished qualities of the score and Bernstein's text also were influ- enced by the experience of his family during the Holocaust." Three versions of the symphony, available on CD, will be played. The original recording features Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic and his wife, Felicia Montealegre, narrating. The second offers a performance by the BBC Symphony directed by Leonard Slatkin, music director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and showcases a new narration written and recited by Jamie Bernstein, the composer's daughter. The third rendition, played by the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra under the direction of John Axelrod, introduces a new text written and recited by Samuel Pisar, a Leonard Bernstein, circa 1955 Holocaust survivor. Kaddish was composed in a small studio on the grounds of the Bernstein America," Schiller says. "It's the 70th anni- family's country house in Connecticut, where versary of his graduation from Harvard Bernstein also wrote the ballet Dybbuk. The and his entry into the Curtis School of contents of the studio have been donated by Music. It's just past the 50th anniversary the Bernstein children to Indiana University, of his appointment as director of the New where the workspace soon will be re-created. York Philharmonic and the beginning of Burton Bernstein, brother and biogra- his televised Young People's Concerts." pher of the composer-conductor, recalls a That last anniversary is an easy one for vaster connection to Judaism at this anni- Schiller to remember because it marks the versary time. start of his being a Bernstein fan. "There wasn't a note that Lenny ever Other Bernstein fans can learn more wrote that didn't involve Jews in some way with a new book, Leonard Bernstein: The — Jewish music, Jewish themes, Jewish Political Life of an American Musician by notes:' Burton Bernstein explains. "The Barry Seldes, professor of political science Jeremiah Symphony (Symphony No. 1), one at Rider University. which explores links to of his earliest works, incorporates the bar progressive political causes. mitzvah theme that every kid who's ever "As time permits, I will focus on addi- been bar mitzvah has to learn. tional pieces:' Schiller says. "The more "Even when he wrote Mass, based on the work people hear, the more they know Catholic mass, in memory of John Kennedy how Judaism was an integral part of the to open the Kennedy Center in Washington person Bernstein was." after being commissioned by Jackie Kennedy, he wrote a whole Jewish section. David Schiller will present "The "Lenny was thoroughly Jewish, very reli- Jewish Legacy of Leonard gious without being Orthodox. He was in Bernstein" 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May Israel during the first war there [in 1948] 31, at Temple Kol Ami, 5085 Walnut and conducted while they were being Lake Road, in West Bloomfield. A attacked in an outpost outdoors in the reception will follow. Those inter- Negev. He was very proud of that." ested in the free event are asked to Bernstein has other noteworthy mile- RSVP by May 27 with a call to (313) stones at this time. 577-2679 or an e-mail to "It's just past the 100th anniversary aa2690®wayne.edu . of the arrival of Bernstein's family in ❑ Jews Nate Bloom Special to the Jewish News Film Notes Opening Friday, May 22, is Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, a sequel to the 2006 box office smash Night at the Museum. Ben Stiller reprises his role as a security guard who has to deal with problems that arise when the museum exhibits come alive. The sequel's large cast includes Jonah Hill, Hank Azaria, Paul Rudd and Brad Garrett. Shawn Levy, 41, directs. Also opening May 22 is the French film Summer Hours, an insightful look into the lives of the Shawn Levy A60 May 21 . 2009 French bourgeoisie, written and directed by Olivier Assayas, 54. His late father, Jacques Remy, was a famous French film screenwriter who was Olivier born in Italy to a Greek Assayas Jewish family. An anti- fascist activist, Remy left Mussolini's Italy for France in the '30s. Early in the German occupation, he dropped his original last name (Assayas) to conceal his Jewish origins. He escaped from France ahead of Nazi deportation, returning after the war. Play Password CBS has recruited Regis Philbin, 77, to host Million Dollar Password, a big- money revival of the classic game show in which contestants can win as much as a million bucks. Ordinary folks play with celebrity partners. The premiere, airing 8 p.m. Sunday, May 24, features celebrity guests William Shatner, 78, and actress Aisha Tyler. On June 14, the celeb guests are Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm), 46, and talk-show host Chelsea Handler, 34. Shatner (Star Trek's original Capt. Kirk) doesn't have a part in the new hit Star Trek film, as does his friend Leonard Nimoy (Mr. Spock), 78. Nimoy recently spoke to the New York Times about how being Jewish affected his portrayal of Spock: "Maybe unconsciously, some of that seeped into the character. Certainly it did with the Vulcan gesture – it's derived from a blessing I learned about in synagogue when I was about 8 or 9 years old. It has Hebraic ori- gins." When asked whether Spock's stoicism and reserve of character was a Jewish thing, Nimoy replied, "No, I don't think so. Because on the other hand, you've got Bill Shatner, who's also Jewish but is not exactly stoic." Funny Old Hebrews Shatner and Nimoy are not the only senior Jews to be enjoying a sur- prising degree Nimoy & Shatner of success at an advanced age. The Web site oldjewstellingjokes.com has turned into a surprise hit. It features mostly Jewish jokes, mostly told by Jewish seniors.