A FIDDLER ON A HOT ROOF
The life of Polina's grandfather, composer Israel Finkelstein, is directly connected not only to the history of her family but also to the history of the 20th century in the USSR.
Israel Finkelshtein was an assistant of Dmitry Shostakovich and the teacher of Georgy Sviridov. His circle of acquaintances and friends included the actor Solomon Mikhoels, composers Vasily Solovyov-Sedoy, Mieczysław Weinberg, and many others.
This is a story about people whose years of life were spent in the Soviet Empire. They had to live in times of repression, state anti-Semitism, cruel censorship, and war. At that time, as in today's Russia, people chose a variety of survival strategies: adapting to the system, going into internal exile, and living a double life. For Israel Finkelstein, as for many people in his circle, such a strategy was to withdraw into creativity.
Through music, we can not only feel the spirit of the era but also better understand those people who are long gone, yet with whom we share common experiences.
Music by Finkelstein, Shostakovich, and other composers of that period will be performed. Documents and photographs, letters of Shostakovich and Weinberg from the family archive will be presented.
