The name of Meyerbeer is all but unknown today, except to serious opera buffs, but in his time (1791–1864) he was one of the most celebrated composers in the world, famous as the leading exponent of French grand opéra. A scion of the wealthiest Jewish family of Berlin, with religious roots in the early Haskalah (Enlightenment) movement. Meyerbeer lived a secular life devoted to music in Italy, Paris, and as court composer to the King of Prussia. Unlike other Jewish musicians of his time, however, he did not follow the fashion of conversion to Christianity, but kept the vow he had made to his formidable mother – an influential figure in her own right – to remain faithful to the religion of his forebears. Throughout his life he was alert to signs of antisemitism, and suffered particularly from the vicious attacks of Wagner. This talk, illustrated with musical examples, will argue that, beneath the surface of his operas dealing with grand historical – and often Christian – themes, lies a sharp awareness of the issues confronting Jews of his time: emancipation, enlightenment, conversion, intermarriage, and of course, persecution. After a brief consideration of his first, and only biblical opera, Jephtha’s Vow (1812), we will focus on his most famous work, Les Huguenots (1836) and his last, posthumously produced opera, L’Africaine (1865).
Mark Solomon is Rabbi of Sukkat Shalom, Edinburgh’s Liberal Jewish Community, as well as Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation. He is senior lecturer in Rabbinic Literature at Leo Baeck College, London, and Rosh Beit Din for Liberal Judaism. He has been deeply involved for many years in interfaith dialogue, particularly with Christians and Muslims, and a leading rabbinic advocate for LGBT+ rights. A lover of classical music and opera, he enjoys performing cantorial, Yiddish and Hasidic music as well as Burns songs and Gilbert and Sullivan. He would never attempt to sing Meyerbeer.
Edinburgh Jewish Literary Society 