Sun. Jun. 15, 2025 6:30p.m.
Terrace Theater
-
Runtime
Approx. 2 and a half hours including intermission
Program
Yonatan Cnaan, composer
Adi Ezra, baritone
Anat Czarny, mezzo - soprano
Select members of the Cafritz Young Artists Program of Washington National Opera
The Israeli Opera production
Screening of the opera film "Theodor" and live performance of its cast members with the opera's composer and members of Cafritz Young Artists of Washington National Opera.
Patrons are requested to silence cell phones and other electronic devices during performances.
The taking of photographs and the use of recording equipment are not allowed in this venue.
Terms and Conditions
All events and artists subject to change without prior notice.
Meet the Artists
Meet the Creative Team
Synopsis
Scene i
Paris 1895. Theodor Herzl, a journalist from Vienna, covers the degradation ceremony of Dreyfus, a Jewish-French officer who was found guilty of treason. The crowd calls for the death penalty.
Scene ii
In the Herzl family home in Paris, Julie Herzl is frightened by the violent atmosphere in the city. Herzl tries to draft a news report on the Dreyfus affair. Unsuccessful, he leaves his house and wanders the streets.
Scene iii
Vienna 1881. The young Theodor Herzl has been accepted into “Albia” - a nationalistic student fraternity. He and his friend Paul von Portheim are the first Jewish members of this fraternity. They both celebrate with their new friends, and even the scorn of an anti-Semitic waitress does not mar their joy.
Scene iv
The adult Herzl wanders the streets of Paris. A pimp persuades him to come into a young prostitute’s room. Herzl is horrified to confront the passions he denies. He escapes the place but is unable to return to his home.
Scene v
At the Vienna Opera House, the students cheer after a performance of a Wagner opera. Young Theodor envisions himself as a celebrated playwright to-be. Paul feels that he, as a Jew, would forever remain an outsider in European culture.
Scene vi
The adult Herzl enters a Parisian church. Inspired by the priest’s words and the choir's singing, he has a revolutionary vision—he would lead all Jews to a mass conversion into Christianity.
Scene vii
Back at home, Herzl shares his daring plan with his wife. Julie reacts with scorn and dismissal.
Scene viii
While the adult Herzl struggles with Julie’s harsh words, young Theodor fights a duel with Paul - an initiation ceremony for the fraternity. Julie wins over, and Herzl succumbs to despair. Theodor defeats Paul and is filled with joy. Herzl predicts a traumatic crash for his younger self.
Scene ix
At a memorial service after Wagner’s death, Herman Bahr gives an anti-Semitic speech. Theodor furiously wishes to retire from the fraternity. Paul betrays his friend, and proposes that henceforward, Jews will not be accepted into “Albia”. Both are disgracefully dismissed. Paul kills himself.
Scene x
Herzl and Theodor are desperate. In an imaginary duet, they look for a way out of their dead-end situation. Herzl almost loses his sanity, when a new vision dawns on him - the establishment of a Jewish state. Everybody tries in vain to dissuade him, but Herzl writes his fateful book - “The State of the Jews".
Program Notes
The cinematic version, produced by EllaComm, of the opera "Theodor" by Yonatan Cnaan and Ido Ricklin, produced by the Israeli Opera.
Theodor At The Israeli Opera - A Dream Come True
"Theodor", a specially commissioned new Israeli opera, was chosen as one of the Critics' Choice of Operas 2023 by the Opera Now magazine. It was conceived by a team of Israeli creators: composer Yonatan Cnaan and director and librettist Ido Ricklin and conducted by Maestro Nimrod David Pfeffer." Theodor” took over three years to write and compose. The idea for its creation was put forward by the prominent philanthropist Daniel Jusidman, who assisted in transforming this dream into reality through the support of the Jusidman Foundation.
Herzl is not merely portrayed as the renowned legendary leader and Zionist visionary who appears in the famous balcony photo. This is an unknown Theodor Herzl – a dramatic human hero struggling with emotional difficulties, who discovers that his dreams are trampled by reality, who vacillates between despair and madness, while seeking a path to integration and a sense of belonging; yet is rejected anew each time.
Following the horrific 10/7 attack, Theodor was the first production to be performed at the Israeli Opera House, with the themes it carries more relevant than ever. In light of its great success, Theodor was filmed for the big screen and was shown in theaters all over the country.
U.S.-Israel Opera Initiative
Founded by Daniel Glaser and Antoun Sehnoui, the U.S.-Israel Opera Initiative embodies a vision of cross-cultural understanding through artistic excellence. This groundbreaking partnership between the Washington National Opera and the Israeli Opera is launching with a screening of the award-winning Israeli opera “Theodor” at The Kennedy Center. Guided by a Board of Advisors that will include its founders and the leadership of the Washington National Opera and Israeli Opera, the Initiative will continue to develop through ambitious live performances, co-productions, educational programs, and cultural exchanges that celebrate our shared heritage while looking toward our collective future.
This initiative will serve as a powerful symbol of the enduring friendship between our nations while creating meaningful artistic experiences that resonate with audiences in both countries. By bringing together the creative forces of these two distinguished opera companies, we will create performances that speak to the universal human experience while honoring our unique cultural traditions.
Staff
The Trump Kennedy Center Executive Leadership
Executive DirectorMatt Floca
Chief Financial OfficerDonna Arduin
Acting General CounselElliot Berke
Vice President of Human Resources LaTa’sha M. Bowens
Senior Vice President, MarketingRobin Osborne
Vice President, Public RelationsRoma Daravi
Vice President, EducationJordan LaSalle
Vice President, ProductionGlenn Turner
Interim Chief Information Officer Bob Sellappan
Staff for the Terrace Theater
Theater Manager Xiomara Mercado*
Head Usher Randy Howes
Production Manager Kate Roberts
Master Technicians Richard Haase and Susan Kelleher
Box Office Treasurer Ron Payne
*Represented by ATPAM, the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers.
The box office at the Kennedy Center is represented by I.A.T.S.E, Local #868.
Steinway Piano Gallery is the exclusive area representative of Steinway & Sons and Boston pianos, the official pianos of the Kennedy Center.
The technicians at the Kennedy Center are represented by Local #22, Local #772, and Local #798 I.A.T.S.E., AFL-CIO-CLC, the professional union of theatrical technicians.
Acknowledgements
With Gratitude
The US-Israel Opera Initiative thanks Mr. Daniel Jusidman for inspiring the writing of Theodor and the Jusidman Foundation for its generous support in making this dream a reality.
The U.S. Opera Initiative would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to Antoun Sehnoui, without whose support, this event and future events would not be possible.
The U.S.-Israel Opera Initiative thanks Robert Bole and Signal Group for its invaluable assistance in marketing and communications.
The U.S.-Israel Opera Initiative thanks the Command Group for its assistance in providing security for this event.
Finally, the U.S.-Israel Opera Initiative thanks the entire Planning Committee for their tireless efforts and dedication:
— Daniel Glaser (Chair)
— Tali Barash Gottlieb (Israeli Opera)
— Shelley Greenspan
— Cantor Suzanne Hamstra (Washington Hebrew Congregation)
— Esin Lobel
— Douglas Maguire
— Ira Miller (Washington Hebrew Congregation)
— Tim O’Leary (WNO)
— Julia Pevzner (Israeli Opera)
— Gabby Sterba (BravO)
— Shiyana Valentine (WNO)