In 1944, she performed an opera at a concentration camp. As a child, ela stein was a jewish prisoner in terezin, a nazi concentration camp. Ela stein weissberger was one of the original cast members in brundibar, the childrens opera performed at terezin, a czech town renamed theresienstadt by the germans. New orleans ela weissberger, though tiny and elderly when i met her, was the strongest woman i have ever known. For those who love this book, i also reccomend the librarian of auschwitz which follows year old, dita kraus and her life in auschwitz. I have miraculously made the acquaintance of two terezin survivors yesterday, marta fried and ela stein weissberger ela played the cat in the brundibar childrens opera for 55 performances in theresienstadt. Brundibar is a childrens opera by jewish czech composer hans krasa with a libretto by adolf. Although conditions were wretched, ela forged lifelong friendships with other girls from room 28 of her barracks. Another version was performed in salem, ohio at the salem community theatre in february, 2006 and also featured a visit from weissberger. Adults working with the children tried their best to keep up the youngest prisoners spirits. The stage was in a nazi concentration camp and she was a prisoner.
Weissberger arrived at terezin in february 1942 at the age of eleven, with her mother, sister, and grandmother. Ela stein was eleven years old in february of 1942 when she was sent to the terezin concentration camp with other czech jews. The cat with the yellow star is a story of strength, and i strongly recommend it. The survivors of room 28 and their story as told in the book and exhibition. I first met ela in 2006 at the simon weisenthal center at a book signing of her book the cat with the yellow star.
Jan 09, 2019 annie cohen, right, met holocaust survivor ela weissberger when the teen appeared in a new orleans production of brundibar in 2016. Jewish survivor ela weissberger describes how the nazis implemented a beautification process of the thereseinstadt ghetto for the international red cross visit. A preface to legacies, lies and lullabies the world of a second generation holocaust survivor by esther vivien levy. Coming of age in terezin by susan goldman rubin and ela weissberger. Annie cohen, right, met holocaust survivor ela weissberger when the teen appeared. Ela weissberger, nee stein, was born in june 1930 in the lom by most, czechoslovakia.
The cat with the yellow star by susan goldman rubin, ela. Brundibar 1st edition1st printing by sendak, maurice and tony kushner condition. With brundibar performances providing a loose narrative thread, the book follows eightyearold elas family from kristallnacht to her arrival, at age 11, at the model ghetto, where she is assigned to a bunkroom of 28 girls. In coordination with mor, naxos has created a podcast interview with ela stein weissberger, who survived the terezin concentration camp. Through her life, she tells the story of brundibar, the opera played for theresienstadt concentration camp occupants. The book also gives information about ela before, during, and after the holocaust. We met and spent time with her when my 2 sons performed in brundibar here in park ridge il with petite opera. Ela weissberger on performing the opera brundibar during the. Her perspective on the creation and first performances of this historical.
Mar 12, 2014 70 years ago, ella weissberger stood on stage as a cat in the first performances of the childrens opera brundibar. In 1949 she emigrated to israel and later came to the united states, where she married. Freedom pavilion of the national world war ii museum, 85yearold ela stein weissberger will be in the audience. Ela stein weissberger can be seen as the cat at center in black next to the evil organ grinder brundibar, who looks like hitler. Ela weissberger wrote a book about her time in terezin called the cat with. Through her life, she tells the story of brundibar. Concentration camp survivor brings music of the holocaust to stockton. Oct 08, 2015 ela weissberger, who played the cat in the opera, survived the holocaust and made it to the united states. A very nice compliment to the cat with the yellow star is the 2003 story of brundibar retold by tony kushner angels in america and illustrated by maurice sendak. After liberation from the camp with her mother and elder sister ilona ela lived in israel before coming to the us in 1958, and now lives in tappan, new york.
Nov 20, 2014 jewish survivor ela weissberger describes how the nazis implemented a beautification process of the thereseinstadt ghetto for the international red cross visit. I treasure my copy of the book the cat with the yellow star, a. She was a survivor, and this well written book tells the story of her experience at that camp, including how the young prisoners performed the opera known as brundibar. Never will i forget our first meeting in 1996 in her home in tappan and the uncountable moments we spent together the meetings in spindlermuhle, the events that followed after the publication of the book and the opening of the exhibition the girls of room 28 in 2004.
Ela weissberger, survivor terezin music foundation 2019 gala. Annie cohen, right, met holocaust survivor ela weissberger when the teen appeared in a new orleans production of brundibar in 2016. Brundibarandmeetingelaweissbergerandmartafried040x225. These true events happened in the transit camp terezin in. By the time she was liberated in 1945, she was fifteen. Brundibar, the childrens opera by hans krasa and adolf hoffmeister, is a central.
Brundibar and the poems and our childrens paintings with friedl. Hans krasa, the czech composer who wrote brundibar, was among. Brundibar 1st edition1st printing by maurice and tony. Ccbc recommended books cooperative childrens book center. Using a book andor television show you know with which your class is familiar, ask. Susan goldman rubin, author, ela weissberger, author with ela.
She eventually chronicled in her memories in the book the cat with the yellow star. Ela weissberger 0823418316 9780823418312 ela stein was eleven years old in february of 1942 when she was sent to the terezin concentration camp. Ela weissberger passed away on march 30, 2018 in spring valley, new york. Weissberger, ela 1930 ela stein weissbergerpersonal. Of the 15,000 children who passed through terezin approximately only 100 survived. Ela weissberger, who played the cat in brundibar, recalls how she danced to a. These true events happened in the transit camp terezin in czechoslovakia during world war ll. Seattles music of remembrance is hosting several performances this week of tony kushners new version of brundibar, the childrens opera performed at the theresienstadt concentration camp if truth be told, this is not the fullfledged production featuring maurice sendaks extraordinary sets which was performed earlier this year in new york and new haven.
A childrens opera during the holocaust which parodies hitlers dominance and dictatorship. Ela stein weissberger, a survivor who performed in the original terezin productions of brundibar. A childrens opera called brundibar was even performed, and ela was chosen to play the pivotal role of the cat. It was performed 55 times between 1943 and 1944 by the children living in terezin, a nazi concentration camp. Somehow during those horrendous threeandahalf years of sickness, terror, separation from loved ones, and loss, ela managed to grow up. Ela weissberger, who played the part of the cat, appears in the film. Ela weissberger is an extraordinary grandmother with a. Its hard to describe what it felt like walking into elas house that sweltering summer of 2010. Both her parents were jewish and very assimilated, according to weissberger, into a town whose population was half czech and half german. Coming of age in terezin by susan goldman rubin and ela weissberger as a child, ela stein was a jewish prisoner in terezin, a nazi concentration camp. In 1942, at the age of 11, ela weissberger was sent with her grandmother, mother and sister to terezin, a concentration camp in what is today known as the czech republic. Opera news called mors brundibar recording on naxos one of the top ten opera recordings of 2007.
Interview with holocaust survivor ela stein weissberger the. Ela weissberger one of the stars of the original terezin. Born in the sudetenland in czechoslovakia in 1930, weissberger was eight years. The digital collections of the national wwii museum. The survivors of room 28 and their story as told in the book and exhibition had a strong impact on the reception of the opera and contributed to its revival. The survivors of room 28 and their story as told in the book and exhibition had a strong impact on. This book is an easy read about a young girl, ela weissberger, who survived the holocaust. Art is the only thing that connects us to our humanity. As a child, ela stein was a jewish prisoner in terezin, a nazi concentration camp in czechoslovakia where a number of noted jewish artists and musicians were held. Mar 30, 2018 ela weissberger, nee stein, one of the girls of room 28 died march 30, 2018, in raleigh, north carolina. Nov, 2009 ela stein weissberger was one of the original cast members in brundibar, the childrens opera performed at terezin, a czech town renamed theresienstadt by the germans. In 2003, the opera was adapted into a childrens picture book by tony.
Liron and ela weissberger at a brundibar performance. The childrens opera by jewish czech composer hans krasa was. Although conditions were wretched, ela forged lifelong friendships with. Weissberger performed as an original cast member in brundibar at the theresienstadt concentration camp and has written a book that chronicles her experiences, the cat with the yellow star. Interview with holocaust survivor ela stein weissberger. Ela is now 83 and is the subject of the famous book the cat with the yellow star. The colorado music festival and the university of colorado opera program were joining together in a performance of brundibar and ela weissberger would be in attendance. Bless them, i think they will become my two honorary aunties. Ela weissberger, who played the cat in the opera, survived the holocaust and made it to the united states. Ela weissberger, nee stein, one of the girls of room 28 died march 30, 2018, in raleigh, north carolina. Funeral home services for ela are being provided by brownwynne funeral home, and hellman memorial chapels. Ela was one of the few children who appeared in all 55 performances of brundibar. Brundibar, the childrens opera that was performed in the terezin.
Holocaust survivor ela weissberger attends most productions. The brundibar footage from the film is included in the emmy awardwinning documentary voices of the children directed by zuzana justman, a terezin survivor, who sang in the chorus. Ela weissberger, who played the cat in brundibar, recalls how she danced to a brundibar melody in the rhythm of a valtze, while paul aron sandfort played the trumpet. This memoir of holocaust survivor, eva weissberger, centers on evas experiences at terezin concentration camp, where she and other girls escaped some of the camps horrors in performing the childrens opera, brundibar. Graced by wonderful photographs, elas own art and other personal memorabilia and laced with elas reminiscences, rubins title satisfyingly captures an astonishing holocaust episode. May 01, 2011 brundibars honored guest, ela stein weissberger who played the role of the cat in all 55 terezin performances, will join the audience. She remains close with her camp friends, speaks to students and is an honored guest at performances of brundibar worldwide. Brundibar study guide opera theatre of saint louis. Annie cohen, right, met holocaust survivor ela weissberger when the teen. Coming of age in terezin susan goldman rubin, author, ela weissberger, author with ela weissberger. Author susan rubin presents the true story of survivor ela weissberger, born ela stein, whose familys holocaust journey ends in terezin, the nazi camp famous for the art and music that was sustained there by the inmates and that was used by the nazis to fool the red cross into believing they had given a model town to the jews.
Weissberger was born in czechoslovakia in 1930, and her world changed when the german nazis invaded her country in the fall of 1938. A childrens opera called brundibar was even performed, and ela. Ela weissberger took part in a performance of brundibar to mark yom hashoah holocaust remembrance day in vancouver on april 30, 2008. Omaha ela weissberger was one of the lucky children cast in brundibar, a childrens opera, when it was performed 55 times in 1943 by the inmates of the therezin concentration camp. Ela weissberger was when she first sang the role of a cat in a childrens. Ela was thrilled to see the resurgence of brundibar, as it kept alive the. Ela weissberger was liberated from terezin in may of 1945.
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