Bio
From the heart of Riga, Latvia, to the cultural tapestry of Berlin, Sasha Lurje has made her mark as one of the world’s most premier Yiddish singers. Delving deep into traditional Yiddish styles, she breathes life into the ancient melodies while also spearheading contemporary projects.
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Whether it’s the rock beats of forshpil (forshpil.com), haunting melodies of the Semer Ensemble or innovative blend in projects like Black Rooster Sings: a revue of Latvian Jewish and Latvian music collected by Emilis Melngalis, and Goyfriend: a blend of Jewish and non-Jewish music about the friendly and not-so-friendly neighbors, Sasha’s voice and passion are unmistakable.
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Her collaborations stretch from the esteemed Yale University Fortunoff Archive with Songs from Testimonies to intercultural endeavours with Helsinki Yiddish Cabaret, exploring the life of not-so-well-know Nordic Jewish Community, to theatrical performances with Michael Wex’s Last Night in Cabaret Yitesh and Josh Waletzky’s Pleytem Tsuzamen.
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An active pillar of the Berlin klezmer community, Sasha doesn’t just sing; she creates experiences, be it at festivals like Yiddish Summer Weimar, where she is a regular or Shtetl Berlin and Seattle Yiddish Fest - Festivals she organizes.