Photo: Enrico Caruso as Eleazar
In the nineteenth century, France became the cradle of musical masterpieces created by three outstanding opera composers of Jewish origin: Jacques Offenbach, Giacomo Meyerbeer and Fromental Galévy. Each of them left his own unique mark on world culture, but it was Galévy who in 1835 gave humanity the opera La Jide (The Cardinal’s Daughter), a work that became not only the pinnacle of romanticism but also a profound reflection of the Jewish soul.
The opera is centred on the Jewish jeweller Eleazar and his beautiful daughter Rachel. Their story unfolds against the backdrop of medieval Europe, where love between a Jew and a Christian woman defies fate, and the Passover Seder and the tragic ritual of autodafa become symbols of the struggle for faith and identity. Fromental Halevy, the son of a cantor, has woven into the music not only drama but also the warmth of Jewish traditions – the melodies of Zhydivka sound like a prayer that touches the heart, like the echo of ancestors calling through the ages.
The Ukrainian premiere of Zhydivka took place in 1859, and since then the opera has become a favourite in many parts of the country. It was especially warmly received in cities with large Jewish communities, such as Odesa, Vilno, and Kyiv. But this music knew no bounds: it enchanted everyone who heard it. Even Vladimir Lenin, recalling his visit to the opera, wrote to his mother on 9 February 1901: “I was at the opera the other day, listening with great pleasure to ‘Zhydivka’: I heard it once in Kazan (when Zakrzewski sang), perhaps 13 years ago, but some of the motifs remain in my memory.” These words are evidence of how Haleva’s music could penetrate to the depths of the soul, leaving a mark even in the most unexpected hearts.
The role of Eleazar was a real challenge for the world’s best tenors. It was sung by the legendary Enrico Caruso, whose voice raised the role to the heavens. Nowadays, the baton has been taken over by Neil Shikoff, a Jew and son of a cantor, whose performance has become not just an art form but an almost sacred act. His voice contains the echo of synagogue chants, the pain of exile, and the quiet hope of redemption.
“The Jewess is more than an opera. It is a story of love overcoming hatred, of faith withstanding fire, of beauty born out of pain. It still resounds today, reminding us that music can unite centuries, making hearts beat in unison with the melodies that were once born under the pen of Fromental Galeva. For Ukraine and Israel, countries with rich histories and deep ties, this opera remains a symbol of how art can become a bridge between cultures and peoples.
Time Ukraine Israel is proud to tell you this story – a story that lives in notes and souls, crossing the boundaries of time and space.
Author: Marianna Nyzhnia
