Creation of the World or Kabbalat Shabbat

The Creation of the World or Kabbalat Shabbat A cosmic chamber opera arrives at Symphony Space on February 8. The Creation of the World or Kabbalat Shabbat fuses Jewish mysticism, sculptural costumes, and a global ensemble into an immersive sonic-visual composition unfolding in real time. After selling out across Europe, this contemporary, boundary-pushing work comes to New York for a rare one-night performance — unlike anything else in the city this season.

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Composer Alexander Manotskov reimagines Creation as a cosmic musical event in his new chamber opera, The Creation of the World or Kabbalat Shabbat. Blending Jewish mysticism with instruments from diverse cultural traditions, the production invites audiences on the journey bridging ancient tradition and contemporary resonance.

“Even without looking at the musical score, you get a sense of Manotskov’s fascination with numbers where time is precisely calculated and mapped out, swelling with sound and divided into complex segments. Underneath this opera lies an elaborate clockwork of angular gears, supporting and propelling each other at just the right moments.” - Alexey Munipov, music critic.

Under the musical and stage direction of Emilia Kivelevich, the opera unfolds as a shared celebration, an invitation to participate in creation itself. From a single tone to a polyphonic finale, the performance guides the audience through a world being born in real time: a feast of sound, movement, and image.

The opera tells its story not through the text itself, but through symbolic choreographed action inspired by the Sabbath preparation ritual. Each of Venera Kazarova’s costumes functions as both artwork and living myth. As the “Divine Presence,” Kazarova herself performs on stage, shaping the world through gesture and color.

«Creation of the World reminds us that creation was and still is - an act of joy. It exists entirely in the realm of art, transforming ritual into pure expression. And behold - it was very good.» - Alexander Manotskov, composer.

The musical ensemble represents the seven days of Creation, performed by a uniquely international group of musicians: Anton Tsirin (Indian harmonium), Alexander Manotskov (cello), Ivano Onavi (North Indian bansuri flute), Jim Galaxy (flugelhorn), Anushaant Nainai Vijayan (ghatam, mridangam), and Benjamin Stein (santur). The seventh day - Shabbat - is embodied by Emilia Kivelevich, who leads both as performer and conductor.

TEAM:

ALEXANDER MANOTSKOV - COMPOSER

Alexander Manotskov is the author of many chamber and symphonic works, as well as more than 20 operas, which have been performed in the USA, Norway, Ukraine, Germany, Italy, Finland, Russia and Kazakhstan.
Many of his scores have been published by Donemus Publishing in the Netherlands. Alexander has been honored with numerous musical and theatrical awards.
Has been collaborating with Ukrainian musicians for several years; being an open supporter of Ukraine and an opponent of the current Russian regime, had to leave Russia after the beginning of the full-scale aggression against Ukraine. Currently based in Düsseldorf, Germany.

EMILIIA KIVELEVICH - DIRECTOR

Emiliia Kivelevich is a theater director and M.A. in Cultural Studies, Emiliia works at the intersection of research and art. She consistently integrates documentary material in order to convey authentic narratives based on real experiences.

She has created more than ten productions in Germany, including the operas ‘Creation of the World or Kabbalat Shabbat’ and ‘Varsava’ by Alexander Manotskov.

One of her projects - performance created within ‘The Sims’ was nominated for ‘Project of the Year’ by a leading cultural magazine.

VENERA KAZAROVA - COSTUME AND STAGE ARTIST

Venera Kazarova is a Frankfurt-based visual and performance artist working at the intersection of costume design, movement, and sculptural form.

She is known for transforming everyday materials into expressive performative garments and has created costumes for interdisciplinary theatre and performance projects across Europe.

Her work explores the body as a visual and symbolic medium, shaping striking and concept-driven aesthetics for the stage.

LARA TREICHEL- CHOREOGRAFIE

Lara Treichel (Larissa Alexandrova), is a renowned choreographer and musical theater director with degrees from Chelyabinsk University and the Russian Academy of Theater Arts (GITIS) in Moscow. She is known for her cross-genre productions in drama, music and dance theater, which have been presented at international festivals and competitions and awarded major prizes, including the "Golden Mask".

She is currently based in Berlin and is continuing her artistic career.

OLEG MIKHAILOV- VIDEO EDITING/LIGHT

Oleg Mikhailov is a video artist who works at the interface of media technologies and video art. Since the late 1990s, he has been creating video and interactive installations, experimental animations and video art, which are presented in exhibitions and theaters.

Oleg Mikhailov researches technologies for creating visual content and uses video engineering in theater and music performances. For ten years, Oleg Mikhailov has also taught multimedia directing, video design, sound design, 3D modeling, animation and special effects.

JIM GALAKTI- FLUGEHORN

Jim Galakti is a renowned trumpet player who has been successful for over 20 years in the German and European music scene for over 20 years. Known for his participation in the electro swing band TAPE FIVE, he plays all over the world and has twice received the Goethe-Institut scholarship.

Since 2012 he has accompanied the Iranian pop star Shadmehr Aghili. In 2015 he released his solo album "Drop The Guns and Fly". He has accompanied Iranian pop star Shadmehr Aghili and his band on international stages since 2012. He has also performed in more than 50 concerts on major stages, including the Oberhausen Arena, the Dubai World Trade Center and the Expo 2016 in Antalya.

ANUSHAANT NAYINAI WIJAYAN- MRIDANGAM

Anushaant Nayinai Wijayan is a renowned Mridangam artist, musician and composer from Germany. He completed his diploma in Mridangam in 2006 and then began offering Mridangam classes at his registered cultural association, the Tamil Cultural and Welfare Association Essen e.V.

In 2017, he co-founded the of the Tamil Cultural Fine Arts Academy and founded the Konnakol Germany network. He is active there as a lecturer, performer and musician and offers workshops and master classes. Anushaant Nayinai Wijayan has made a significant contribution to the promotion of Tamil music and culture in Germany.

ANTON TSIRIN- HARMONIUM

Anton Tsirin is a talented actor, musician and social activist. After graduating from film school in Cologne, he has appeared in more than ten different productions in Germany and Israel, including films. Away from the stage and screen, Anton is also involved in social and educational work. He founded the Kibbutz Center for Culture, Art and Education. This remarkable project was nominated as Germany's Social Democratic Project of the Year in 2021.

BENJAMIN STEIN- SANTUR

Benjamin Stein has specialized in the study of the oud, a traditional stringed instrument, since 2015. His focus was on the exploration of Turkish and Arabic music. He completed his studies at prestigious universities in Mannheim and Rotterdam, where he was taught by outstanding lecturers such as Yurdal Tokcan, Samir Mansour and Alexandros Papad-imitrakis. In addition, he expanded his musical knowledge through lessons with renowned personalities such as Hossein Alizadeh, Negar Bouban, Hossein Pishkar, Ross Daly and Yasamin Shahhosseini.

IVANO ONAVI- BANSURI

Ivano Onavi is a versatile musician and music teacher. After studying classical guitar at the Folkwang University of the Arts, he devoted himself primarily to world music. He collaborates with musicians from all over the world and has already performed at concerts in countries such as Spain, Russia, India and Germany. His deep passion for folklore is reflected in his own compositions.

Media contacts:

4’33’’ Agency

Nina Mikhailyuk [email protected]