Film, Video Susana Behar Ensemble

Title

• Susana Behar Ensemble

Summary

• Susana Behar was born in Havana to a Cuban family with roots in the Sephardic community of Turkey. From an early age, she was immersed in the traditional music of her homeland as well as the evocative kantikas in Judeo-Spanish (Ladino) passed down by her grandparents. In 1965 she emigrated to Venezuela, where she started to explore and perform the music of her adoptive country as well as the Latin American and Jewish folklore. She earned a degree in Biology from the Universidad Central de Venezuela before moving to Miami, where she has lived and performed ever since. She was joined by Michel Gonzalez on guitar, Adolfo Herrera on percussion, and Saul Vera on mandolin and bandola llana.
  
  For almost 20 years, Susana Behar has focused her artistic career on the preservation and performance of the Sephardic musical repertoire. Passionate about the richness of traditional music and its connection to cultural memory and storytelling, she has performed across the U.S., Latin America, Canada, Israel, and Japan. In 2017, she developed and premiered her project “Ladino Meets Latino,” incorporating songs from the Sephardic and Latin American musical traditions. Her work has been featured in award-winning films, radio programs, and collaborative productions, including the Kennedy Center’s celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month in 2024.
  
  Program:
  ALTA, ALTA ES LA LUNA (High, high is the moon) – A poignant dialogue between mother and daughter, woven in a tender melody.
  LA SERENA (The mermaid) – A haunting ballad about a young girl confined in a sea-bound tower.
  LAS KASAS DE LA BODA (The wedding houses) – A wedding song from the Bulgarian tradition, celebrating the beautifully adorned houses where brides dance, families gather and love is honored with music and ritual.
  KATAV STAV (The Winter Wrote) – Hebrew poem by Andalusian poet and philosopher Solomon Ibn Gabirol (c. 1021 – c. 1058); Music by Jose Luis de la Paz, Spain (1967 – 2025) “Katav Stav” is one of Gabirol’s secular poems, where winter becomes a divine artist.
  VEINTE AÑOS (Twenty years) – Music: Maria Teresa Vera, Cuba (1895 – 1965); Lyrics: Guillermina Aramburú, Cuba (1894 – ?) “Veinte Años” is a timeless Cuban ‘habanera’, already considered a classic in the Cuban musical tradition. ‘If wishes came true, you’d love me as you did twenty years ago.’
  AMOR ETERNO (Eternal love) – Salvador Salazar, Venezuela. A Venezuelan waltz, celebrating love that transcends time and distance.
  ANDERLETO – A Sephardic romanza or ballad, from Sarajevo, tells the tale of a queen who is in love with her slave, Anderleto, and openly declares her love for him, even proclaiming that she loves him more than the king and all his kingdom.
  SI VERIASH A LA RANA (If you could see the frog) – A children’s song about a frog, a mouse, and a camel preparing food together and sharing it with their friends. ‘Ben seni severim, çok seni severim’ (I love you, I love you very much!).
  EREV SHEL SHOSHANIM (Evening of roses) – Lyrics by Moshe Dor, Israel (1932 – 2016); Music by Yosef Hadar, Israel (1926-2006); “Erev Shel Shoshanim” is a Hebrew love song, evoking the fragrance and tenderness of a romantic evening in bloom.
  GÜLPEMBE (Pink rose) – A Sephardic love song, with lyrics that blend Judeo-Spanish and Turkish, showcasing the rich, multicultural heritage of the Sephardic diaspora. ‘Aman aman Gülpembe, ne bu güzellik sende (Oh, Pink Rose, what beauty is this in you).’
  LOS KAMINOS DE SIRKECI (The roads of Sirkeci) – A young man walks up and down the sandy roads of Sirkeci in Istanbul, yearning to see his beloved.
  
  Encore:
  LOS GIZADOS DE LAS BERENDJENAS (The ways to cook the eggplants) – A song listing seven delicious ways to prepare eggplant.

Event Date

• Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Running Time

• 1 hour, 11 minutes, 35 seconds

Online Format

• image
• online text
• video