Collage: Vanessa Könemund und Mirella Frenzel, contains Shoshana Rose image by Forward Archive

A zest for life, boundless energy, and a celebrated career on Yiddish stages around the world. A loving husband, three children, and a life lived to the fullest. All of this was shattered when war forced Rose Shoshana Kahan and her family to flee. In the end, only she and her husband reached the last refuge still open to Jewish refugees: Shanghai.

There, amid a community of tens of thousands of displaced people, Rose Shoshana survived as an actress and trader. Yet she did more than survive. She observed, reflected, and recorded her experiences in a diary—a togbukh in Yiddish—parts of which were later published.

Inspired by these extraordinary writings, Alan Bern’s sensitive and evocative music leads us into Rose Shoshana’s inner world: her hopes, fears, memories, resilience, and humanity.

In the title role, the brilliant soprano Leila Schütz, winner of the Monteverdi Prize, is joined by an exceptional ensemble of leading artists from the international Yiddish music scene.

Join us for an unforgettable evening of music theater that illuminates one woman’s remarkable journey and celebrates the enduring strength of the human spirit.

Musical theatre by Alan Bern (composer) and Diana Matut (libretto)

Performed by:
Leila Schütz (soprano)
Alan Bern (music director, piano, accordion)
Ilya Gindin (clarinet, saxophone)
Lisa Hoppe (double bass)
Mark Kovnatskiy (violin)
Nora Thiele (percussion).

Director:
Maximilian Löwenstein

Visuals:
Mirella Frenzel
Maximilian Stilke
Vanessa Könemund

Production:
Sabine Roselt