Jerusalem-Yerushalayim full score

An oratorio for our times. The city of Jerusalem has a complex, multi-layered history stretching back thousands of years, and continues today to be the literal and symbolic focus of many, often conflicting, aspirations. This oratorio traces the outlines of the Biblical story of the city through twelve windows or snapshots in which Jerusalem is either the subject or the background. The libretto is based as closely as possible (given the limitations of English translation, the transliterations of ancient Hebrew, and the musical setting itself) on texts from the Tanakh or Old Testament – texts which are both historical and prophetic, full of archetypes and resonances, and are at the same time about real people with their dreams, tragedies, and hopes. Ultimately, the story is a universal one of hope that extends from these Semitic roots to a vision of lasting peace for all people.