Featuring Donna Breitzer, Cantor Joshua Breitzer, Joshua Jeremiah, Rebecca Jo Loeb, Alex Mansoori, Lauren Worsham, and Steven Blier in Yuletide Tunes by Jewish Composers.
New York Festival of Song, led by Artistic Director Steven Blier, will present its annual holiday tradition, A Goyishe Christmas to You! on Monday, December 6, 2021 at 7:00pm at Merkin Hall's Upper Lobby at the Kaufman Music Center. The program features favorite Yuletide tunes by Jewish composers, performed with a twist, sung by mezzo-soprano Donna Breitzer, Cantor Joshua Breitzer, baritone Joshua Jeremiah, mezzo-soprano Rebecca Jo Loeb, tenor Alex Mansoori, and soprano Lauren Worsham. Steven Blier joins as pianist and host together with clarinetist Alan R. Kay.
An instant classic, the program-devised and premiered by Steven Blier at HENRY's in 2010 and now in its twelfth incarnation-consists of Yuletide songs, from the wickedly funny to the meltingly beautiful, entirely written by Jewish composers. From such tunes as Frank Loesser's "Baby It's Cold Outside" to Jay Livingston and Ray Evans' "Silver Bells," the popular seasonal songbook is packed with countless contributions by Jewish songwriters on behalf of their gentile counterparts.
Single tickets priced at $40 are on-sale at http://nyfos.org/21-22season.
NYFOS' 2021-22 season also includes its four Mainstage series concerts held at Merkin Hall at Kaufman Music Center, including And...We're Back! on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 8:00pm with Paul Appleby, Amanda Lynn Bottoms, Rebecca Jo Loeb, Johnathan McCullough, and Maggie Reneé; Buenos Aires, Then and Now on Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 8:00pm with Nicoletta Berry, Raquel González, Brian James Myer and pianist Joseph Li; Love Songs in 176 Keys: 4 hands, 4 voices, 4 countries on Tuesday, March 15, 2022 at 8:00pm with Caramoor's 2022 Vocal Rising Stars; and The Wider View: Songs by Black Composers on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 8:00pm with Aundi Marie Moore, Lucia Bradford, and others to be announced.
All NYFOS programming is funded, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.
A Goyishe Christmas to You!
Monday, December 6, 2021 at 7:00pm
Upper Lobby at Merkin Hall, Kaufman Music Center
Tickets: $40 available at nyfos.org
Donna Breitzer, mezzo-soprano
Cantor Joshua Breitzer
Joshua Jeremiah, baritone
Rebecca Jo Loeb, mezzo-soprano
Alex Mansoori, tenor
Lauren Worsham, soprano
Steven Blier, pianist and host
Alan R. Kay, clarinet
Howard Levitsky/Marc Miller: Candle in My Window
Frank Loesser: Baby, It's Cold Outside
David Javerbaum/Adam Schlesinger: Can I interest you in Hanukkah?
Felix Bernard/Dick Smith: Winter Wonderland
Jay Livingston/Ray Evans: Silver Bells
JOHNNY MARKS: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Yiddish arr. by Kugelplex/Joshua Breitzer)
Frank Loesser: What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?
Joan Javits/PHIL and TONY SPRINGER/R.J. LOEB: Santa Zaydee
ROY ZIMMERMAN: Don't Let Gramma Cook Christmas Dinner
MEL TORMÉ/TORMÉ and WELLS: The Christmas Song ("Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire") (new lyrics by Adam Gopnik)
David Friedman: My Simple Christmas Wish
Irving Berlin: White Christmas
JOHNNY MARKS: Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
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