MIRYAM traces the thread of Jewish resilience and creativity from medieval Iberia to Baroque Amsterdam. Shir Levi’im (the song of the Levites) refers both to the ancient Levites who sang psalms of worship in the Temple, and 11th c. Sephardic poet Yehuda Halevi, whose surname evokes this musical heritage. In 1593, Portuguese Jews began to resettle in Amsterdam, and by 1675 the thriving community had built the Esnoga or synagogue. Its library contains a wealth of historical documents including Hebrew-language musical scores spanning the late Baroque and early Classical eras. This collection allows a glimpse into the rich musical life of the Portuguese Jews of Amsterdam, who commissioned works from both Christian and Jewish composers. The program features music of Caceres and Lidarti, mystical poems by Yehuda Halevi, and a new setting of the Kaddish Shalem, a central prayer of thanksgiving and praise.

MIRYAM: Alicia DePaolo, soprano, Hilary Anne Walker, mezzo-soprano, Marika Holmqvist, violin, Emily Hale, violin, Sarah Freiberg, cello, Juan Mesa, harpsichord