Named one of last year’s best new operas by OPERA NOW Magazine, THEODOR is the story of Theodor Herzl, the visionary behind the modern State of Israel. Told through the eyes of both the young and elder Herzl, the opera traces his experience with rising antisemitism in Europe to his  recognition of the need for a Jewish State and the founding of the Zionist movement.  Composed by Yonatan Cnaan and directed by Ido Ricklin, the opera masterfully blends music, theater, and stunning visual elements to portray Herzl’s relentless quest for a Jewish belonging.

THEODOR premiered in May 2023 at Tel Aviv’s Israeli Opera House. This visual captivating opera was subsequently filmed and is just beginning its rollout to audiences worldwide.

We will be joined at intermission by the opera’s composer Yonatan Cnaan in a recorded conversation. Cnaan brings together his background in the classical world with his musical theater sensibility to an opera that “leaves you involved emotionally, intellectually and spiritually.”

And don’t miss our live webinar with Prof. Derek Penslar at 11 AM MT, Thursday, Oct. 30. Prof. Penslar is the Director of the Center for Jewish Studies at Harvard University and author of a dozen books including most recently Theodor Herzl: The Charismatic Leader (2020; German ed. 2022); and Zionism: An Emotional State (2023). For complimentary tickets to Zoom webinar, click here.