The cultural exchange and scientific discovery of pre-Expulsion Spain make the Convivencia ripe for idealization. Far more complex, however, is the historical record of forced conversions, violence, and rigid social stratification which tarnishes the unique historical moment of coexistence among the three Abrahamic faiths. In this concert, Ensemble Lipzodes embraces the historical record – a haunting repertoire in Arabic, Hebrew, Castilian, and Occitan that speaks of inconvenient truths and bracing recognitions, ripe with resonance for own fractious times.

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Kahal, Court, and Casbah is a project of Salon Sanctuary Concerts, originated by Wolodymyr Smishkewych. It is produced in partnership with Music at St. Paul’s Chapel Columbia University and was made possible by the kind collaboration of the Department of Music, the Hispanic Institute, and the Institute for Religion, Culture, and Public Life of Columbia University, and the generous support of Professor Susan Boynton.