Children’s opera brings lessons of the Holocaust to Omaha stage

In 1944, representatives from the International Red Cross arrived at a Jewish ghetto in occupied Czechoslovakia to watch a children’s opera.

The Nazis established this ghetto — called Terezin — as a model camp.

They wanted the Red Cross representatives to think the Jews there were receiving humane treatment. It was all a ruse.

The opera shown in that concentration camp, Hans Krása’s “Brundibár,” will be performed Saturday at the Rose Theater.

Opera Omaha is presenting the rarely seen work in conjunction with the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s Institute for Holocaust Education.

Beth Seldin Dotan, the institute’s executive director, says the production serves an educational purpose.

“We want people to learn the lessons of the Holocaust,” she said.

In conjunction with the opera, the institute this week is hosting Ela Weissberger, a Holocaust survivor who performed in “Brundibár” at Terezin. Weissberger is slated to speak to about 10,000 Omaha middle-school students about her experience.

Though it is forever associated with the Holocaust, “Brundibár” itself is neither a war story nor a Holocaust opera.

“It’s not a dark piece,” said Hal France, the opera’s conductor. Rather, “Brundibár” is a fairy tale, and its lessons are conveyed through symbols.

The opera opens with two children trying to raise money for their sick mother. They decide to give a concert in the marketplace. But the evil organ grinder Brundibár won’t let them perform because he has monopolized music in the town.

The character Brundibár has traditionally served as a symbol for Hitler.

Baritone David Ward, who performed last year in Opera Omaha’s production of “La Bohème,” appears in the title role of “Brundibár.”

“I’m used to performing comic characters,” he said. “It’s going to be a big change playing a bad guy.”

The opera’s chorus is made up of students from Morton Magnet Middle School.

Karen Spurk, the director of the chorus, said her 12- and 13-year-old singers were surprised at how much work went into staging an opera. They’ve been rehearsing for six weeks.

“But they’re proud of what they’ve accomplished,” Spurk said. “And they’ve become the heroes of their school.”

Contact the writer:

444-1076, john.pitcher@owh.com