Long before the word existed, Cantor Moishe Oysher was a “multi-media” star. A seventh-generation cantor, Oysher appeared on stage, recorded albums, performed on the radio, sang on The Ed Sullivan Show and starred in many films. His concerts were noted in The New Yorker, and encompassed both Jewish material— liturgical and Yiddish— and secular works from opera to jazz.
On March 20, Oysher scholar Arik Luck, cantor of Beth Emet synagogue in Evanston, will perform a tribute to this towering figure of Jewish culture in: “Moishe Oysher: The Master Singer of His People!” The range of Oysher’s repertoire is so great, Luck will be accompanied by both the 50-voice Kol Zimrah Choir and the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band for this career-spanning retrospective. Additionally, Oysher’s recoding sessions and scenes from his movies will be reenacted by Luck, Sari Greenberg, Harvey Dershin and Cantor Howard Friedland.
Luck trained in musical theater at Carnegie Mellon University. Later, when deciding on his thesis subject for his cantorial ordination at Hebrew Union College, he naturally chose Oysher, who also had one foot in the secular performance world.
“Anyone who likes cantorial music, musicals, opera, or jazz will love this show,” Luck promises, “because Oysher combined all of these elements in his music.”
“Moishe Oysher: The Master Singer of His People” Saturday, March 20, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20; 847-869-4230, ext. 301 or reception@bethemet.org. Beth Emet is located at 1224 Dempster St. in Evanston. This concert is presented through Beth Emet The Free Synagogue’s program, “Kol Emet: The Jewish Music Project.”
Paul Wieder is public relations manager at the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation.
