By Steve Kramer
EILAT, Israel –All of you are quite aware of the travail Israel is dealing with at this time. With well over 130 hostages (including perhaps 20 murdered Israelis) still in captivity somewhere in Gaza, the public is simultaneously enraged by their dire imprisonment and even more adamant about their release and the continuation of the war to terminate the influence and the terror of Hamas and its leadership.
Despite the grievous situation, or perhaps because of it, some distractions are necessary for the public, who are volunteering like mad in different endeavors, working overtime to make up for the absent reserve soldiers, and trying to carry on with some semblance of normality. One such “distraction” is the 25th annual Isrotel ClassiCameri Festival held every January in Eilat, the southernmost Israeli city at the north end of the Red Sea. Nearly all the many, varied musical events are held in the Isrotel Theater in the Royal Garden Hotel, across the street from the Isrotel hotel chain’s all-inclusive Lagoona Hotel.
The English Speaking Residents Association (ESRA) in Israel promotes many programs and events. One of these is a long weekend event each year centered on the Festival. The attractions for the members are the wonderful selection of musical events, the fantastic appetizer or sweets buffets which precede many of the concerts (at least one a day), and the attractive price for the 3-night, full board / open bar, stay.
Not the least of it is the included bus transportation. Michal and I boarded the bus in Raanana early Thursday morning and I promptly began listening to podcasts and reading news and analytic articles. We “soon” arrived at the hotel, a stone’s throw from the promenade and Red Sea beach, in time for a late lunch. The first thing we noticed was that there were many families sitting in the lobby and by the pool, along with lots of small kids zooming around on their pint-sized scooters and trikes. These families were evacuated from their homes, which are in close proximity to either Gaza or Lebanon. Many of their homes have been destroyed or badly damaged. Hundreds of thousands of evacuees are staying in hotels, dormitories, rentals, and with relatives. This is a long term situation…
We weren’t lucky with our hotel room, which lacked any view of the spectacular Adom (red) Mountains on the Jordanian side of the bay; we made do with a view of palm trees in the parking lot. However, spending time in our room wasn’t the reason for our coming to Eilat. The anchors of the Festival were the excellent Raanana Symphonette Orchestra, its Music Director, Maestro Omer M. Wellber, its talented Concert Master, Nitai Zori, and Conductor-in-Residence David Sebba. One or more of them was present at nearly every event.
The ESRA group comprised more than 100 members, primarily from Jerusalem, Haifa, Netanya, and our own city of Kfar Saba. Not everyone who comes is a classic music lover, but many attend every show, a formidable list comprising 14 performances! I attended about half of them (Michal-a few more), giving us time to enjoy the promenade and the Red Sea scenery, as well as comfortably reading, or having coffee, by the marina on the eponymous lagoon.
Of the performances I attended, there were several I really liked. The first was a Mendelssohn symphony followed by an Italian musical collection incorporating some familiar, popular Italian folk music. It featured the great, multi-disciplinary Israeli pianist Guy Mintus, also a vocalist, composer, and educator who performs worldwide. Mintus, like some others, also appeared in a few other performances.
There was a Russian satirical comedy, Lieutenant Kije (Kizhe), in the style of Nikolai Gogol. In 1934 a film version was made in the Soviet Union with music composed by Sergei Prokofiev. It was an enjoyable and diverting presentation. Another performance I particularly enjoyed was the Symphonette playing Carmen Suite, Romanian Dances, and more, assisted by the percussion ensemble Tremolo. This turned out to be a very lively and diverting performance, especially for percussion enthusiasts.
‘Swingin’ was a trio of piano, trumpet, and a very versatile singer (popular, operatic), Daniela Skorka. This was performed in a more intimate venue outside the auditorium. We really enjoyed whatever style Daniela chose to sing in, which included belting out some of the songs. Daniela and many others were featured in the concluding Gala Concert. This was a true extravaganza, with many different types of music; a wonderful conclusion to a weekend of varied performances.
Our particular musical preferences tend towards jazz, blues, rock, and reggae, but we thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful performances which were mostly classical – as the festival’s name implies.
The following morning, Sunday, after our last bounteous hotel breakfast, we settled into our various buses for the uneventful drive back home. Like many who attended, we’re looking forward to next year’s Festival, by which time we expect this hideous war to be ended and Israel to have soundly defeated its enemies.
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Steve Kramer is a freelance writer based in Kfar Saba, Israel. He may be contacted via steve.kramer@sdjewishworld.com