CONTRA SPEM SPERO: Concert for Israel and Ukraine

Join us for concert of folk and popular songs, arias and more in support of two humanitarian organizations, one Israeli and one Ukrainian! Ukrainian-Israeli mezzo-soprano Tanya Bertier and Ukrainian-American contralto Vira Slywotzky will sing in Hebrew, Ukrainian, English and Yiddish, accompanied by American pianist Paul Carlson.

All proceeds go to benefit these non-profits serving tens of thousands of displaced civillians in two countries, each fighting for a just peace.

The name of the concert is taken from an 1893 poem by Lesya Ukrainka, written in Ukrainian but titled in Latin. Contra Spem Spero can be translated as Against All Hope, I Hope.

Please consider making an additional donation beyond your ticket purchase to further support these wonderful organizations. All ticket sales and donations will be split evenly between Dror Israel and Razom.

is an independent grassroots educational organization founded in 2006 and, with 1,300 professionals serving over 150,000 people every year, one of the largest and most diverse in Israel. It has also developed special expertise in Emergency Response, establishing daycare and educational-emotional first-aid programs in wars and during COVID lockdowns. In this video you can learn about their work with Ukranian refugees in Poland and Romania. Since October 7th, they have set up daycare and makeshift schools, run teen programs, and emergency preparedness training for over 40,000 evacuees and 70,000 people from non displaced communities who live under fire. Already present in those communities before the war and during the initial emergency, they are with them today and will continue to be there far into the future, fostering Israeli resilience and hope.

, which means “together” in Ukrainian, believes deeply in the enormous potential of dedicated volunteers around the world united by a single goal: to unlock the potential of Ukraine. Born out of the revolution of dignity in 2014, Razom initiates short and long-term projects, or collaborates on existing projects with partner organizations, which help Ukraine stay on the path of fostering democracy and prosperity. It has grown a diverse community of volunteers and collaborators across the US and Ukraine which allows it to create spaces where people can meet, partner, and execute on these projects.

Cover image based on an artwork by Phillip Schwarz, Doves on Barbed Wire (2017). A new fiber art piece by Phillip, Prayer for Peace (2024) will be on view at the event and will be sold to raise funds. More details coming soon.

NOTA BENES:

Doors Open at 2:15. Concert begins promptly at 3.

Program runtime 90 minutes with intermission. Light reception with performers to follow.

All seating except FRONT ROW is unassigned.

Tickets cannot be refunded but can be transferred to a different attendee.

We recommend buying tickets online whenever possible. Tickets will be available at the door with payment in cash or check only, for $35.

is a traditional inclusive synagogue that actively embraces individuals, its community, and the world. An innovative and prominent voice in North American Jewish life since 1917, it is one of Brookline's oldest synagogues.

is a non-profit organization that fosters international creative exchange in the visual and performing arts and film, with a special focus on the post-Soviet States. BRAI carries out public programs throughout Massachusetts, the East Coast and internationally.

, Dramatic Mezzo Soprano, made her US debut performing the roles of the Witch and Gertrude in the opera Hansel und Gretel at the New York Opera Forum and the New York Lyric Opera, respectively. Originally from Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, she emigrated to Israel,, where she received professional musical training and began her career as a lyric mezzo soprano in roles including Carmen (Carmen), Polina (Pique Dame), and Veronica (Doctor Miracle) and also had numerous solo recitals. As her voice evolved to full dramatic mezzo with time and experience, she took on Santuzza from Cavalleria Rusticana and Erda from Das Rheingold as well as Wagner roles including Fricka from Die Walküre, Waltraute from Götterdämmerung, and Azucena from Il Trovatore. Since arriving in the US, Tanya has continued performing with New York Opera Forum and New York Lyric Opera, as well as having recitals around New England.

, Contralto, has performed principal roles with Seattle Opera, Sarasota Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Center for Contemporary Opera and Boston Midsummer Opera, toured the US extensively singing concerts, recitals and cabarets, and appeared in many of NYC's premiere venues. Internationally, Slywotzky has been heard in Canada, France, Hungary, Russia, Sweden and Wales. A champion of new music, she has workshopped and premiered more than 30 works. Since February 2022 she has been fundraising and speaking for multiple organizations supporting Ukrainian civilians and soldiers, in particular Razom for Ukraine. Participant in numerous competitions and winner of awards, Slywotzky most notably represented the US at the 2009 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. She runs the concert series Vira & Friends, a mobile musical variety show she founded in 2018, and has served on the Board of Directors of the Berkshire Opera Festival since a year before its 2016 inaugural season.

, Piano, has dedicated his performance career to presenting concerts with unique programming, appearing frequently as a solo recitalist and also as a collaborative musician. He has a special interest in music of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and his original research focuses on the early performance style of the piano music of Claude Debussy. Paul is Music Director of The Peregrine Consort, an ensemble presenting the J.S. Bach Cantatas on period instruments, along with other works. He is a Playing Member of the Lexington Symphony. He teaches piano at the Lexington Music School, and is staff accompanist of the Lexington Public School choral ensembles. His new concert series “Loft 112 Events,” features a variety of performances and collaborations in an intimate loft setting in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Host or Publisher Congregation Kehillath Israel