Bernstein's 'Kaddish' Taiwan Premiere, Questioning Faith and Existence
The TSO Taipei Symphony Orchestra will hold the Taiwan premiere of Leonard Bernstein's Symphony No. 3 'Kaddish.' This work, through its dramatic structure and profound text, presents humanity's ultimate questioning of God, faith, and the meaning of existence.
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- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 17:38
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Chao Ching-yu, Taipei, 7th) The TSO Taipei Symphony Orchestra will hold the Taiwan premiere of composer Leonard Bernstein's Symphony No. 3 'Kaddish.' Through its dramatic structure and profound text, the work presents humanity's ultimate questioning of God, faith, and the meaning of existence.
TSO Conductor Laureate Eliahu Inbal stated at a press conference today that 'Kaddish' is named after the Jewish prayer of mourning. When the narrator questions why God allows humanity to suffer war and hardship, the music employs 12-tone music, expressing a strong sense of protest and radicalism, akin to 'heavy metal rock in classical music.'
Inbal recalled that when he served in a military band in 1958, Bernstein was deeply moved when he completed a performance with a 40-degree fever and wrote a letter of recommendation to help Inbal study abroad. Inbal said that he had attended Bernstein's personal rehearsals of 'Kaddish' for several days in Israel, and thus he can grasp the most original and profound interpretation of the work.
TSO CEO Kuo Pei-yu stated that as early as 2020, when Inbal took over as principal conductor, this performance project had already been launched. Although it faced severe challenges such as the impact of the pandemic and conflicts in singer schedules, it finally came to fruition this year.
Kuo Pei-yu said that after performing Bernstein's 'Chichester Psalms' in 2008, the TSO is premiering Bernstein's Symphony No. 3 'Kaddish' 18 years later, completing Bernstein's Jewish music iconography in Taiwan. The orchestra also demonstrates its musical energy in mastering large and difficult 20th-century works.
Soprano Sara Cortolezzis, in her interpretation, sees herself as a 'peace caller' engaging in dialogue with the angry speaker, bringing back hope through beautiful prayers. Narrator Jaye Ladymore describes a 'mutual dependence' symbiotic relationship between these characters and God, inviting music lovers to consider 'whether this is an illusion of control or a higher level of faith.'
Eliahu Inbal and the TSO's Taiwan premiere of Bernstein's 'Kaddish' will be held on May 12 at the Taipei National Concert Hall. (Editor: Hsieh Ya-chu) 1150507
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(Central News Agency reporter Chao Ching-yu, Taipei, 7th) The TSO Taipei Symphony Orchestra will hold the Taiwan premiere of composer Leonard Bernstein's Symphony No. 3 'Kaddish.' Through its dramatic structure and profound text, the work presents humanity's ultimate questioning of God, faith, and the meaning of existence.
TSO Conductor Laureate Eliahu Inbal stated at a press conference today that 'Kaddish' is named after the Jewish prayer of mourning. When the narrator questions why God allows humanity to suffer war and hardship, the music employs 12-tone music, expressing a strong sense of protest and radicalism, akin to 'heavy metal rock in classical music.'
Inbal recalled that when he served in a military band in 1958, Bernstein was deeply moved when he completed a performance with a 40-degree fever and wrote a letter of recommendation to help Inbal study abroad. Inbal said that he had attended Bernstein's personal rehearsals of 'Kaddish' for several days in Israel, and thus he can grasp the most original and profound interpretation of the work.
TSO CEO Kuo Pei-yu stated that as early as 2020, when Inbal took over as principal conductor, this performance project had already been launched. Although it faced severe challenges such as the impact of the pandemic and conflicts in singer schedules, it finally came to fruition this year.
Kuo Pei-yu said that after performing Bernstein's 'Chichester Psalms' in 2008, the TSO is premiering Bernstein's Symphony No. 3 'Kaddish' 18 years later, completing Bernstein's Jewish music iconography in Taiwan. The orchestra also demonstrates its musical energy in mastering large and difficult 20th-century works.
Soprano Sara Cortolezzis, in her interpretation, sees herself as a 'peace caller' engaging in dialogue with the angry speaker, bringing back hope through beautiful prayers. Narrator Jaye Ladymore describes a 'mutual dependence' symbiotic relationship between these characters and God, inviting music lovers to consider 'whether this is an illusion of control or a higher level of faith.'
Eliahu Inbal and the TSO's Taiwan premiere of Bernstein's 'Kaddish' will be held on May 12 at the Taipei National Concert Hall. (Editor: Hsieh Ya-chu) 1150507
Stand with the truth, every sponsorship you provide is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency 'First-hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.