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Opera Insights: And the Rat Laughed

Program Info

The fall season of Opera York features the North American premiere of And the Rat Laughed, the Israeli opera depicting one survivor’s experience of the Holocaust. Markham Public Library, in partnership with the Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and Opera York, invite you to meet author Nava Semel and composer Ella Milch-Sheriff in discussion of the novel and opera, and to enjoy a brief performance of the score.

A program in association with the 29th Annual Holocaust Education Week.

Click Here for more information about Holocaust Education Week

The Author

Nava Semel, born in Tel Aviv, holds an MA in Art History and is an art critic. Semel has worked as a TV, radio and recording producer, and as a journalist. She has written poetry, prose for children and adults, television scripts and opera libretti, in addition to translating plays. Semel has received several literary prizes, including the American National Jewish Book Award for children’s literature (1990), the Women Writers of the Mediterranean Award (1994), the Austrian Best Radio Drama Award (19996), and the Tel Aviv Woman of the Year in Literature Award (2007).

The Composer

Born in Haifa, Ella Milch-Sheriff began her composer career at the age of 12. Ella graduated in composition from the Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University.Ella composes for opera, and has written chamber, orchestral and vocal music as well as popular music and solo works. Her music is performed widely through Israel, Europe and USA and of note, is her refi ned arrangements of songs by Kurt Weill for mezzosoprano
and chamber orchestra.

In 2005, Ella Milch-Sheriff was awarded the prestigious“Israeli Prime-Minister Prize” for her musical works and the opera, “And the Rat Laughed” conceived with Nava Semel and based on her book received the“Rosenblume Prize” for achievement.