Jerusalem hotels, restaurants, attractions, tours & events. Helping since 2008

This June, the Israeli Opera Festival is heading to Jerusalem. The festival, which also includes shows at the Dead Sea, centers around the local premiere of Verdi's aptly-named Jerusalem opera, scheduled to be performed on June 6th at Sultan's Pool amphitheater, located in a valley below the Old City walls.

Flanked by the city government's top brass, the Israeli Opera company leadership announced the festival's plans at a recent press conference at Jerusalem's Tower of David Museum, with two vocalists on hand to provide musical accompaniment.

In Jerusalem, the festival runs from June 2nd - 6th, with both the opening and closing performances to be held at Sultan's Pool and Italy's Arena di Verona Orchestra headlining on opening night. In addition to the Sultan's Pool performances, there's a full bill of other vocal performances in churches and other venues throughout the city. And outside Jerusalem, there's a performance of Aida and a showcase for Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli at Masada.

Maestro David Stern, Music Director of the Israel Opera, notes, "The Opera Festival was held for the first time last year, and this year we've expanded it [to Jerusalem] because it was such a success in spreading the word locally and internationally about what an opera house does. It's important to establish ourselves throughout the country and offer opera to as many different people as possible." 

With marquee talent performing at breathtaking venues like these, the international opera fan community will certainly be wooed, but Stern hopes that local crowds will also get excited. "Last year the festival was very focused on people coming in from outside the country," he tells GoJerusalem.com, "while this year we are reaching out to Israelis more - and Jerusalem plays a key role in this."

As for the festival's role in the greater context of the Israel Opera as an organization, Stern says, "We have our normal season, and then we have this summer festival. The goals are different. During the season, our goal is nurturing our opera audience - challenging them and keeping them interested, giving them new perspectives. Our goal for the summer is to open the opera walls and reach a wider public."

According to Stern, "This festival has put Israeli Israeli opera on the international map unlike anything else. It brings people from around the world.... With this festival, we are bringing the opera house to Jerusalem. Music that's not normally listened to in these venues will be performed as part of the festival, and I'm very much proud to be a part of it."

Although Jerusalem has a highbrow classical performing arts scene that's vibrant, large-scale productions here are generally more pop-oriented, so the festival's spread to outdoor, large-scale Jerusalem-area venues represents optimism that the masses here can get excited about opera. "It's very easy to say, 'That snotty opera house is only for the rich,' but we have a great variety in our audiences," Stern asserts. "I'm anticipating that we have an even greater audience when we expand to Jerusalem this year.... To be able to perform Jerusalem - which takes place in Ramle, France and Jerusalem - outside, in Sultan's Pool, will be very exciting for me and for the musicians. I'll be enjoying the spectacle as much as the audience. Sometimes we need to let loose a little and just enjoy."

Photo of David Stern courtesy of Sergei Bermeniev.