The fifth edition of the Štetl Fest of Jewish culture in Brno began on Wednesday, 26 August. And the very first day had a great deal to offer. Among other things, it showed that even an alternative theatre venue can host a world-class concert – and one that is free of charge. The opening ceremony featured a performance by the band Der Šenster Gob, with Jewish singer Lea Kalisch, in the courtyard of the Husa na provázku theatre.
This group also played the Štetl Fest two years ago, back then in the spacious premises of the Fait Gallery with their concert show Barbie Dream. Having seen both performances, I have to say that the Husa na provázku courtyard was an even better choice. Not only because of the more intimate atmosphere, but above all because it fully revealed the singer’s amazing ability to interact with the audience. It was precisely this gift of hers that came to the fore several times during the concert, always in unexpected and entirely different ways, and each time met with an enthusiastic response from the audience. More than just a musical experience, the evening straddled the line between a concert, theatre, cabaret and a happening.
The band Der Šenster Gob has been playing together for fifteen years, and despite several line-up changes during this time (violinist Martin Sochor joined the band in 2018), its core remains the same. It consists of Vojtěch Vasko – double bass, vocals and accordion, Jan Vítů – guitar and vocals, and Matěj Heinzl – clarinet, saxophone and vocals. Each member comes from a slightly different musical background and is involved in other projects as well, but in Der Šenster Gob it is busking above all that brings them together. And it was precisely this that proved fateful for them when they met Lea Kalisch. During one of her trips through Switzerland, she came across them on the streets of Zurich and immediately joined them for one song at their next gig.
In October 2023, the band posted on its Facebook page: ‘Whilst busking on the streets of Zurich, we met Lea Kalisch, a brilliant Swiss-Jewish singer based in New York. She sang one song with us, then came to our evening concert, and afterwards we jammed in our campervan late into the night.’
So who exactly did they meet on the streets of Zurich? Lea Kalisch is a Jewish singer, actress, producer, film director and polyglot who was born in Switzerland and grew up in New York. Above all, however, she is a force of nature whose performances completely captivate you. You’re more than a spectator; you become part of the stories she tells on stage. You’ll find yourself in Buenos Aires, New York or at a Shabbat dinner in your finest clothes.
Her stage persona, Rebbetzin Lea, reflects Jewish cultural traditions while also incorporating elements of her own life experience. The word ‘rebbetzin’ refers to a rabbi’s wife; in our context, we might, with a touch of hyperbole, call her ‘Mrs Rabbi’. Her partner, with whom she has a two-month-old baby, is Rabbi Tobias Divack Moss.
If you believe in fate, the meeting between Der Šenster Gob and Lea Kalisch could perhaps be described as fateful. These excellent musicians have created a perfect musical symbiosis with the singer. Their repertoire draws on Romani, Eastern European and Jewish music, at times with a jazzy feel, whilst Lea complements it with pop, rap and theatrical passages. Together, they demonstrate wonderfully that music knows no boundaries – neither between countries nor genres. It is a universal language that brings people together – something all the musicians mentioned have strived for throughout their musical careers.
Thanks to their utterly natural and witty interaction with the audience and their busking roots, I was reminded of Glen Hansard several times during the concert. He, in particular, shared that rare gift for bringing an entire audience together and putting genuine smiles on their faces that lasted long after the final notes had faded. It is precisely this kind of energy that can turn an ordinary concert into an unforgettable experience. And that’s exactly what happened on Wednesday in Brno.
What’s more, the concert was beautifully complemented by the magical setting of the Husa na provázku theatre courtyard, with its greenery-covered balconies and twinkling lights. And then there was the audience, which at this festival is not only international but also very diverse in age, which is why it might have seemed a bit more conservative at first glance. By the end of the concert, Der Šenster Gob and Lea Kalisch had the entire audience on their feet, dancing and singing along. Moreover, part of the audience was Jewish, so they shared the same cultural background as Lea, making it that much easier to get on the same wavelength with her.
I really liked the fact that each of the songs, although all were rooted in klezmer, was different, carrying a different message and telling a different story, and yet together they formed a harmonious whole. The highlight – during which I was in tears of laughter and Lea Kalisch demonstrated her acting and entertainment skills at the very highest level – was the song Kh’vil Nisht Aza Khosn. This folk song, reflecting the generational conflict within Jewish communities at the turn of the 20th century, depicts the emancipation of young women who no longer wished to blindly accept traditional arranged marriages organised by their families and matchmakers. It was precisely into such a matchmaker that Lea briefly transformed herself. Sorele, with whom she had an imaginary telephone conversation – and whose voice was brilliantly imitated by Matěj Heinzl’s clarinet – even managed to set up one brave member of the audience.
I’m not surprised that one of the audience members confessed his love to the singer several times during the concert. And I dare say he wasn’t the only one won over by Lea Kalisch and Der Šenster Gob that evening.
And one last thought to end on. At the same time as Štetl Fest, the Brno International Folklore Festival is also taking place in Brno, which in recent years has been almost invisible in the city and whose programme seems to have stagnated. I think its organisers could take inspiration from Štetl Fest. It is, in fact, a brilliant example of how, in today’s city, one can organise a festival that is vibrant, contemporary and truly present in the public space.
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