At the heart of the program is a newly commissioned song cycle by acclaimed composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer, inspired by the life and testimony of Holocaust survivor Renée Firestone.

Performed by baritone Simon Barrad, countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, and pianist/music director Ronny Michael Greenberg, the program spans Yiddish cabaret and jazz, Klezmer, Hungarian folk and art song, German Lieder, Ladino music, and a special reimagining of It’s Now or Never, Renée’s favorite song.

Accompanied by a chamber ensemble blending classical, klezmer, and jazz traditions, this powerful concert celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of music to preserve memory, inspire hope, and connect generations.