Jewish Characters and Rituals in 19th Century Opera Repertoire

The Voyvoda Street Music Talks, organized by the Ottoman Bank Museum, host musicologist
Elif Damla Yavuz, this month, with a presentation entitled "Jewish Characters and Rituals in 19th Century Opera Repertoire" in which she discusses the place of ritual in the history of music. The lecture is scheduled for Wednesday, November 15, at 6:30 p.m.

"Mesopotamia is considered the birthplace of what we know today as civilized life, and its  religions and customs played a major part in the institutionalization of Christianity," explains Yavuz. "It was unthinkable that the early Christians, who held their first meetings around the synagogue, would entirely reject Jewish tradition. Thus, ‘Jewish' themes passed from synagogue to church and from church to the repertoire of classical music, and still exist today. 19 th century opera composers such as Rossini, Massanet, Halévy, Verdi and Gounod found inspiration in this tradition to create some of the leading works in their repertoire."

Following the talk, Can Okan, winner of the Year's Young Musician competition organized in 1999 by the Edirne Rotary Club, will perform his own piano transcription of the "Adagietto" from Gustav Mahler's Fifth Symphony.

Elif Damla Yavuz Yavuz was born in 1979 in Izmir. In 1995, she enrolled in the Wind Instruments Department –instrument bassoon – of the state conservatory at Dokuz Eylül University and graduated from its high school section in 1998. In 2001, she entered the Department of Musicology at Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts where she is currently pursuing a BA.

Voyvoda Street Lectures Music and Literature Elif Damla Yavuz Jewish Characters and Rituals in 19th Century Opera Repertoire Wednesday, November 15, 2006 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Free admission The Ottoman Bank Museum Bankalar (Voyvoda) Caddesi 35/37 (0212) 334 22 70