Ensemble Mezzo hosts Ensemble “Kolot Shavim” for an extraordinary encounter blending powerful female vocal strength with the Ladino tradition.
The Spanish-Jewish culture continued to exist and renew itself orally in Ladino-speaking communities across the Mediterranean basin for centuries. Romances, cantigas, and coplas passed down through generations and preserved a collective memory, female consciousness, and vivid depictions of everyday life—love, loss, faith, and holidays.
The performances are based on groundbreaking ethnomusicological documentation, foremost among them the research of Dr. Susana Weich-Shahak, and are presented here in lively, sensitive, and contemporary arrangements—with authentic instruments and a vocal ensemble.
Ensemble “Kolot Shavim”—three outstanding singers specializing in folk polyphony from traditions such as Georgia, Corsica, and the Balkans—brings a fresh vocal interpretation to the Ladino songs while preserving their folk and vibrant character.
Alongside the traditional songs, new works based on ancient texts will also be performed, commissioned specially for this project by composers including Igal Myrtenbaum and Ivana Kish, among others. The fusion of past and present highlights the enduring power of Ladino song to transcend boundaries of time, place, and identity—and to touch the hearts of audiences even today.
Laila Mazal Yenishen – voice
Netta Spiegel – voice
Amit Fishbein – voice
Doret Florentin – recorders and artistic direction
Messer-Jacobi – baroque cello
Gideon Brettler – baroque guitar and classical guitar
120 NIS / 100 NIS for senior citizens / 60 NIS for students and soldiers / Children up to age 10 – free admission
