This is a free, prerecorded event, no registration required. On June 2 at 4pm PT | 7 pm ET, watch the event here: bit.ly/ki-tbns
Presented by Reform Congregation Keneseth Israel (KI) in Philadelphia, in partnership with the Lowell Milken Center for Music of American Jewish Music, To Bigotry No Sanction is a magnificent musical work based on George Washington’s historic letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island, composed by Jonathan Comisar. Comisar’s stunning new cantata embodies touchstones of Jewish and American music in an orchestral/choral setting. This professional performance conducted by Kensho Watanbe features members of The Philadelphia Orchestra and a multicultural choir representing 17 languages.
The program includes introductory readings by renowned historical interpretive actor Dean Malissa as “George Washington” and a post-performance discussion with Jonathan Comisar and KI Rabbi Lance J. Sussman, PhD, a professor of American Jewish History, moderated by Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Sam Katz of History Making Productions.
“I love the way that the music starts out by evoking ancient Jewish sadness only to erupt into the excitement of fife and drums in the new American setting brought about by the Constitution. You save your most momentous music for Washington's most profound words---to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance---and you invest them with all the weight and majesty they deserve.” – Ron Chernow, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Washington: A Life