Merima Ključo

The Sarajevo Haggadah: Music of the Book

Composer-performer Merima Ključo’s multimedia work for accordion, piano, and video traces the dramatic story of one of Jewish culture’s most treasured manuscripts. Using the musical traditions of Spain, Italy, Austria, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ključo illustrates and illuminates the Haggadah’s travels from medieval Spain to 20th-century Bosnia, where it was hidden and rescued during World War II, to its restoration by the National Museum in Sarajevo after the 1992–95 war. Inspired by the historical novel by Pulitzer Prize–winning author Geraldine Brooks and commissioned by the Foundation for Jewish Culture, The Sarajevo Haggadah: Music of the Book creatively interprets this miraculous artifact as a universal symbol of exile, return, and co-existence. As a concert accordionist, Ključo has performed recitals and has been a guest soloist with orchestras all over the world. She has collaborated with renowned musicians including Iva Bittová and David Krakauer, and has written music for film and theater, including Sholom Aleichem: Laughter Through Tears, a one-man play written and performed by the legendary actor Theodore Bikel. With special guest Seth Knopp, piano. Program introduced by author Geraldine Brooks.

$33–$45; CMA members $30–40