Chinese and foreign bands will relay to perform the oratorio "Shanghai! Shanghai!": The radiance of human nature is an unsinkable boat. Shanghai | New York | Human nature

On July 6th, at the Jewish Refugee Memorial Hall in Hongkou District, conductor Yu Long, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, and New York Philharmonic Orchestra jointly announced that their jointly commissioned oratorio "Shanghai! Shanghai!" will premiere globally in Shanghai in November and be performed in New York in February next year.

"Shanghai! Shanghai!" is composed by Jewish composer Aron Zigmann and written by Pulitzer Prize winner Mark Campbell. Male tenors Ben Bliss and Arnold Livingston Gates, low baritone Shen Yang and Andrew Dewan, soprano Zhang Rose, Diana Newman, and soprano Zhu Huiling will participate in the production, and the production will be jointly produced by multinational teams.

This work will lead the audience back to Shanghai in the late 1930s. This city opens its doors to tens of thousands of Jewish refugees with tolerance that transcends culture, race, and faith, becoming the "Ark of Noah in the East" in their hearts. "Shanghai! Shanghai!" tells the story of Joseph and Otto, two Jewish refugees who were persecuted by the Nazis. They start a new life in a foreign land and have an unforgettable love story with a Shanghai girl.

"Shanghai! Shanghai!" is a gift from Shanghai to the world. The initiator and conductor of this oratorio, Yu Long, said, "In the tide of history, there will always be some darkest moments, but the radiance and kindness of human nature are like an unsinkable boat. We are proud of the civilization and kindness of this city, and we are moved by the radiance of human nature."

Jewish Composers Devoted to Creation: This History Worth Telling

"Shanghai! Shanghai!" has undergone more than three years of careful refinement, and the lead composer, Aaron Zigman, is a Jewish musician active in the international music industry. He has composed music for over 70 Hollywood films and TV dramas, including "The Notebook" and "Sex and the City".

In early 2020, by chance, Yu Long told Aaron Zigman about the commission's creative ideas, and the two hit it off immediately. "That period of history should be remembered. Even now, it still has strong practical significance, and today's world needs more understanding and tolerance," said Yu Long.

The creators and promoters of "Shanghai! Shanghai!" gathered at the Shanghai Jewish Refugee Memorial Hall

Faced with such a theme, Aron Zigman expressed his inability to resist. "If it weren't for the goodwill of Shanghai and China, my ancestors and some of my loved ones around me might have been victimized by the Nazis during World War II, and this history is worth telling." Zigman, who has read Zhang Chunru's "The Nanjing Massacre," was deeply moved. He said, "Both Chinese and Jewish people have suffered similar persecution, and both cultures have an indomitable spirit passed down from generation to generation. I hope that" Shanghai! Shanghai "reflects pain and hope for the future while showcasing beauty. This pain and hope were shared by the Chinese and Jewish people in the 1930s and 1940s."

After creating for a while, Zigman approached Mark Campbell with a 30 page thick storyline. Mark Campbell has won numerous international awards, including the Grammy Award and the Pulitzer Prize. "Aaron told me that he is creating a play with the theme of Jewish refugees living in Shanghai, and I am very excited. The whole story is full of exciting and infectious elements."

Campbell flipped through a lot of materials to gain a deeper understanding of that period of history. The oratorio "Shanghai! Shanghai!" consists of 17 songs, of which he wrote 12 lyrics, and the remaining 5 were written by Brock Walsh. "The history of this city opening its arms to Jewish refugees deeply touched me. 'Shanghai! Shanghai!' conveys a message that should be known to the world, which is Shanghai's selfless assistance to Jewish refugees."

Historical photos of Jews in Shanghai

Global Band Relay Performance: Transmitting the Glory of Human Nature through Music

In the 1930s, thousands of Jews fled under the threat of Nazi death in Germany. Around 1938, Shanghai was one of the few places during World War II where entry was possible without a visa or any official documents. Among these Jewish people who came to Shanghai, there were not only business experts, but also world-renowned artists and many professional technicians.

Historical photos of Jews in Shanghai

A display board in the Shanghai Jewish Refugee Memorial Hall records a past story: among the Jewish people who came to Shanghai back then, there were over 400 people engaged in music work, who brought a rich and colorful music life to Shanghai. Among them, there is not only Hebrew Yiddish music that showcases the Jewish national spirit, but also popular Kabbalai jazz and pop music that is popular in Europe and America, as well as musicals and light operas.

Zhou Ping, the head of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, introduced that many Jewish musicians have a close connection with the history of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, including Schoenberg's student Frankel, cellist Joachim, violinist Fuhua, and Adler. These musicians have left valuable musical wealth for the city and cultivated a group of outstanding music talents for China, such as Sang Tong, Ding Shande, Tan Shuzhen, Dong Guangguang, Li Delun, and Zhou Guangren.

In 1942, a large number of Jewish refugee musicians, including Adler, participated in a concert in Shanghai

Gary Kingslin, the head of the New York Philharmonic, said, "New York is an immigrant city, and I believe this film 'Shanghai! Shanghai!' will resonate with many New York audiences. The mission of the New York Philharmonic is to help people understand the world and each other through music, and it is an honor to be able to tell the history of 'Jews in Shanghai' in New York in February next year."

In February next year, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra will perform the oratorio "Shanghai! Shanghai!"

At its premiere in Shanghai, Deutsche Phonograph will record "Shanghai! Shanghai!" and release it globally in 2024. The Beijing International Music Festival, the German Berlin Symphony Orchestra, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and other globally renowned orchestras and music festivals will relay this work in 2024 and 2025.