Join us for a twin bill featuring Electric Rose: Jewish-Ukrainian folksongs electro-acousticly reimagined for the 21st century, followed by the Klezmer on Ice Cabaret—a variety of performances from around the Twin Cities Yiddish community
Center for Performing Arts - Studio 112W
6:30 PM: Doors open
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM: Electric Rose
9:00 PM - 11:00 PM: Cabaret
Electric Rose: The Rose Cohen Experience
In this immersive lo-fi performance, multi-instrumentalists Ilya Shneyveys (Latvia/NYC) and Cantor Sarah Myerson (NYC) reimagine the obscure songs of Rose Cohen, a Jewish immigrant from Ukraine who brought her family’s unique repertoire of Yiddish ballads, Jewish prayers and Slavic folksongs to the New World at the turn of the 20th century. With wildly electric, multi-instrumental flair, Sarah and Ilya depict Cohen’s stories of love and loss, work and immigration in bold and unexpected ways.
Ilya Shneyveys (keys, winds, strings, and electronics) and Cantor Sarah Myerson (voice, winds, strings, and keys) are a dynamic duo in the international Yiddish scene, captivating audiences, inspiring students, and energizing communities around the world. Together, they present a program that bridges the gap between secular and liturgical, with bold and fresh interpretations of traditional Yiddish culture. Their performances, with repertoire ranging from klezmer and Yiddish songs to liturgical music, showcase a deep knowledge of tradition while fearlessly expanding it with new, creative expressions. With impressive proficiency on over 30 instruments between them, and decades of experience as performers, educators, and community organizers, they effortlessly navigate the diverse realms of Yiddishkayt.
Klezmer on Ice Cabaret
The Klezmer on Ice Cabaret is home to the festival’s grittier, raunchier, weirder side. It’s a space within which to gaze upon and marvel at the richness of Ashkenazi culture in the Twin Cities. That life, like our community, is diverse.
This is a space of free expression, where performers draw on their unique perspectives, artistic processes, and relationships with the complexities of Yiddish culture.
Produced by rafa kern and hosted by Sasha Blinnikova & Sam Weisberg
A Word About Gathering as a Community
Electric Rose is a family-friendly event. The Cabaret, starting at 9 PM, will feature mature content that may include partial nudity, vulgarity, and the performers’ personal political commentary and expression pertaining to Israel/Palestine. All are welcome to stay for the Cabaret, understanding that being potentially uncomfortable at times is part of the tradition. Thank you for supporting our performers in celebrating creativity, exploring nuance, and carrying the traditions of Yiddish art and culture forward together.