Left to right: Jason Weisinger as Yudel Mark, Kristin Gornstein as the Shtumer Alef in premiere of THE GREAT DICTIONARY OF THE YIDDISH LANGUAGE, September 2025 photo by Brian Hatton

The Great Dictionary of the Yiddish Language

Congrats to Alex Weiser and Ben Kaplan on sold-out performances at YIVO

Produced at YIVO in collaboration with American Opera Projects (Alex Weiser is an alum of C&V, 2017-19), the League for Yiddish, the American Society for Jewish Music, and the Consulate General of the Republic of Lithuania in New York.

THE GREAT DICTIONARY OF THE YIDDISH LANGUAGE tells the remarkable true story of Yiddish linguist Yudel Mark’s unfinished effort to create a comprehensive Yiddish dictionary.

Selected press from the YIVO premiere:

“...both meaningful and funny.” — Rob Tannenbaum, The New York Times

“...an unlikely but passionate opera.” — Joanne Palmer, The Jewish Standard

“The score avoids klezmer clichés… [Weiser] draws on post-minimalism, biblical chant, [...] and, to this ear anyway, Stephen Sondheim at his most operatic.” — Andrew Silow-Carroll, Jewish Telegraphic Agency

“No lover of Yiddish should miss this one-of-a-kind theatrical experience” — Jennifer Stern, The Forward

Left to right: Kate Maroney as the Komets Alef, Kelly Guerra as the Pasekh Alef, and Kristin Gornstein as the Shtumer Alef in the World Premiere of THE GREAT DICTIONARY OF THE YIDDISH LANGUAGE, September 2025 photo by Brian Hatton

AOP produced the concert premiere of THE GREAT DICTIONARY in May 2024 as part of Bang on a Can's Long Play Festival, in partnership with The Neighborhood: An Urban Center for Jewish Life.

Directed by Rebecca Miller Kratzer, the production featured tenor Jason Weisinger, baritone Gideon Dabi, and mezzo-sopranos Kristin Gornstein, Kate Maroney, and Kelly Guerra. An ensemble featuring clarinet, string quintet, and piano was led by conductor David Bloom. Scenic design by Michael Bennett Lewis, projection design by Camilla Tassi, lighting design by Stacey Boggs, and costume design by Matsy Stinson.

This opera was previously developed with support from American Opera Projects, the 14th Street Y’s LABA: A Laboratory for Jewish Culture and LABA 2nd Stage, Asylum Arts, The Neighborhood: An Urban Center for Jewish Life, the Bang on a Can Long Play Festival, and Jewish Music Week Toronto.

THE GREAT DICTIONARY OF THE YIDDISH LANGUAGE is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. America Opera Project’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. AOP’s programs are also made possible in part by the Howard Gilman Foundation.

Friends of AOP:

Celebrating 20 Years of American Lyric Theater

On October 23, 2025 at 7:00pm, American Lyric Theater will hold a concert to celebrate its 20th Anniversary at Merkin Concert Hall (129 W 67th St, New York, NY 10023). The concert will feature scenes from a wide range of operas by alumni of ALT's Composer Librettist Development Program (CLDP). The evening will be highlighted by a special preview of LINCOLN IN THE BARDO, the first opera by a CLDP alum to be commissioned by The Metropolitan Opera. Composed by Missy Mazzoli with a libretto by Royce Vavrek.

Hosted by ALT’s founder, Lawrence Edelson, the program will feature many of the artists who have contributed to the development of new operas at ALT, including sopranos Jacqueline Echols, Karen Vuong, Caroline Worra, and Jennifer Zetlan; mezzo-sopranos Heather Johnson and Gina Perregrino; tenor Andrew Bidlack; baritones and Jonathan Michie and Ethan Vincent; bass-baritone Justin Hopkins; and pianists Djordje Nesic, Jason Wirth and ALT’s Associate Artistic Director Kelly Kuo.

Concert Tickets: $60 - $100

Gala Tickets with Post Concert Reception: $500+

More information and tickets at the following:

Founded in 1988, American Opera Projects (AOP) has been at the forefront of contemporary opera for over 30 years. The Brooklyn-based producing organization commissions, develops and produces lyric theater projects, trains emerging composers and librettists, and creates personal connections within its community. Its works have received critical acclaim at opera companies and venues around the world, establishing a new musical canon that recognizes the operatic story in every life. AOP further expands the operatic field through its training programs The NYU Opera Lab, in partnership with NYU and for students and alumni in The NYU/Tisch Opera Lab; and Composers & the Voice, AOP’s in-house, two-year fellowship program for emerging composers and librettists.

THE GREAT DICTIONARY OF THE YIDDISH LANGUAGE is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts. America Opera Project’s programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council. AOP’s programs are also made possible in part by the Howard Gilman Foundation.

AOP is supported through generous funding from the following organizations: