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Leonard Bernstein's Kaddish Symphony

Monday, August 21 at 10pm on MPT

Recorded in July 2022, Bernstein protege Marin Alsop conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Bernstein's "Kaddish" Symphony at the Ravinia Festival. Creating a musical meditation wherein women's voices are the tether to the highest powers, and examining the essential, eternal questions of humanity and faith, also featured are soprano Janai Brugger and Jaye Ladymore as narrator, along with the Chicago Children's Choir.

Leonard Bernstein's Kaddish Symphony Preview

Great Performances presents Leonard Bernstein’s Kaddish symphony.

About the Series

Performed from Highland Park’s Ravinia Festival, Great Performances presents legendary composer Leonard Bernstein’s Kaddish symphony featuring the talent of Uniting Voices (formerly Chicago Children’s Choir), Chicago Symphony Chorus and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Led by famed conductor and Bernstein protégé Marin Alsop, the work includes music and spoken narrative segments voiced by narrator Jaye Ladymore (“Chicago Med”) and sung by soprano soloist Janai Brugger (Great Performances at the Met: Medea). Recorded July 2022, the symphony examines questions of humanity and faith, exploring the complicated nature of a higher power who governs mortality.