At the heart of this moving program is a newly commissioned song cycle by Grammy Award-winning composer Jake Heggie, one of the world’s most celebrated living composers, and acclaimed librettist Gene Scheer. Inspired by Renée Firestone’s testimony and extraordinary journey, this world premiere work transforms personal history into a powerful musical experience that speaks to the enduring strength of the human spirit.

This special event brings together an exceptional roster of internationally acclaimed artists:

Jake Heggie, composer

Gene Scheer, librettist

Ronny Michael Greenberg, music director & pianist

Simon Barrad, baritone

Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, countertenor

Leah Zeger, violin

Joshua Ranz, clarinet

Ted Atkatz, percussion

Ted Botsford, double bass

Together they will trace Renée Firestone’s extraordinary life through music, following her journey from prewar Europe, through the Holocaust, to the new life she built in America.

Drawing inspiration from the diverse musical worlds that shaped Renée’s life, the program features repertoire spanning music written during and around the Holocaust, including works associated with Terezín (Theresienstadt), alongside Yiddish song and cabaret, German Lieder, jazz, and the American musical theatre tradition. Original arrangements created especially for this production weave these musical traditions together into a single dramatic narrative, culminating in a special reimagining of It’s Now or Never, Renée Firestone’s favorite song.

More than a concert, this is a profound act of remembrance and celebration. Through music, storytelling, and artistic excellence, Songs of Hope honors Renée Firestone’s legacy while affirming the power of art to preserve memory, inspire hope, and connect us to one another.